Message from the Principal
Dear Toquam Families,
This will be a very exciting year for Toquam as we shape our school to move the Bank Street Program into the 21st century. Our superintendent has set forth three initiatives for this year: differentiated instruction, math and science, and social, emotional learning. Stated more simply, we are looking to address the academic, social, and emotional needs of all children. Toquam's School Improvement Plan does exactly that. We have formulated two goals for this plan that mirror the initiatives and Board of Education goals: improve the achievement of students who are at or above proficiency level and improve the achievement of our special needs children.
After assessing the grade level needs last year, we began our planning and work. We laid the groundwork for five co-teaching classes to begin this September where students of all abilities will have the advantage of three adults in a room. This will allow for small groups in enrichment, support, or reinforcement - a wonderful opportunity for children. We provided staff training for co-teaching in the spring, as well as this summer. We were ahead of the district by providing staff development for differentiated instruction - a way of instructing that takes into account the individual needs of our scholars. To support this, funds were directed toward the purchase of hundreds of books in science and social studies so that our scholars can understand concepts regardless of their differing reading abilities.
We began our after-school programs thanks to our teachers, educational assistants, and parent volunteers. These programs provided enrichment, support for proficient students, intervention, self-expression, exercise, and just plain fun. These types of opportunities will continue and expand this year. Added to this will be our data teams where teachers will make decisions about the need for specific instruction based on assessments of individual students. We will also be adapting our teaching to adjust to the emerging curriculum in math, science, and social studies while differentiating content, process, and assessment for our children.
Our direction is clear. We will give all of our children access to curriculum that will prepare them for college. We will address their needs and touch their hearts. This is where we are headed. Please join us, get involved, and help us on our journey.
Respectfully,
Louise F. Spolowitz
Principal