Dr. Chris Martelli
Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
cmartelli@saltcreek48.org
The Department of Curriculum and Instruction supports the advancement of academic and social/emotional growth for our students. The Department of C&I provides instructional guidance, assessment tools, and professional development to ensure our staff is well prepared to support students.
Salt Creek District 48 has successfully aligned the Illinois Learning Standards (ILS) to our curricula and continues to refine instructional practices to improve student achievement and prepare students for not only the next grade level but life after high school.
The ILS for English Language Arts (ELA) establishes clear and coherent expectations for what students should know and be able to do at each grade level. By emphasizing depth over breadth, the ILS for ELA ensures students are provided a comprehensive understanding of key concepts. The ILS set a level of high quality, rigorous expectations for all students which emphasize the application of knowledge to real-world situations and prepare students for the challenges of college and career.
● Kindergarten - 5th grade: ReadyGEN
ReadyGEN is an integrated and well-balanced approach to reading and writing instruction for Grades K-6 classrooms. Authentic texts with modeling and teacher-directed activities drive learning and motivate readers. Students read authentic literary and informational texts.
● Kindergarten - 2nd grade: Really Great Reading
Really Great Reading® specializes in helping educators teach the foundational skills that lead to strong decoding and fluent reading. Really Great Reading provides scientifically aligned professional development, diagnostics, grouping, interventions and preventions. We help schools build strong literacy foundations in primary grades and help remediate decoding issues in upper elementary, and middle school students.
● Kindergarten - 2nd grade: Learning Without Tears
Handwriting Without Tears helps students build essential skills for emergent writing and handwriting success. Children who master handwriting are more likely to succeed in school, writing with speed and ease in all subjects.
● Kindergarten - 4th grade: Words Their Way
Words Their Way is a developmental spelling program. It is an open-ended individual process. An assessment is given to determine where to begin instruction. Based on assessment results students are given words to study in order to discover the common attributes. In this manner, students are actively constructing their own knowledge of spelling patterns.
● 6th - 8th grade: myPerspectives
myPerspectives is a brand new English language arts curriculum for Grades 6–12 that provides next-gen learning experiences that promote higher achievement and develop the competencies needed for college and career readiness. This dynamic program creates an interactive, engaging, and relevant learning environment through readings, meaningful activities, and purposeful performance tasks.
The Illinois Learning Standards (ILS) for math K-12 are designed to help students acquire a deep, conceptual understanding of core math content through focus, coherence, and rigor. Focus shifts teaching/learning from a mile-long and an inch-deep model to a deeper, richer understanding of fewer concepts. Coherence ensures math connections are made between grade levels and builds logical progression. Rigor promotes the equal balance of conceptual understanding, application, and procedural skill and fluency. Rigor: where challenge exceeds skill level.
● Standards: https://www.isbe.net/Documents/math-standards.pdf
● Kindergarten - 6th grade: enVision math 2.0enVisionmath2.0 s a comprehensive mathematics curriculum that offers the flexibility of print, digital, or blended instruction. enVisionmath2.0 provides the focus, coherence, and rigor needed to meet our standards. Project-based learning, visual learning strategies, and extensive customization options empower every teacher and student.
Science instruction is designed to help students acquire a deep understanding of core science and engineering content and ideas as well as experience applying that knowledge in any context. Students will demonstrate their scientific proficiency by engaging in practices that demonstrate the ability to apply scientific concepts.
● Standards: https://www.isbe.net/Documents/Il-Learning-Standards-Science.pdf
● Kindergarten - 4th grade: Mystery Science
Mystery Science provides ready-made science mysteries for elementary school students. Each lesson contains a central mystery, discussion questions, supplemental reading, and a hands-on activity.
● 5th - 8th grade: STEMscopes
The STEMscopes curriculum is brought to life through exploratory hands-on kits that promote inquiry and engagement in real-world scientific connections. Built on the research-based 5E lesson model and aligned to IL standards.
The social sciences explore the relationship between individuals and society, from friends and family to global networks. In a school setting, the disciplines of civics, economics, geography, and history are central for our students. Through the social sciences, young people develop skills critical to success, such as creativity, critical thinking, working in diverse groups to solve complex problems, global awareness, and financial literacy. Most importantly, they will emerge with the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors necessary to be informed and effective citizens.
● Standards: https://www.isbe.net/Documents/K-12-SS-Standards.pdf
● Kindergarten - 8th grade: TCI
TCI curriculum resources and programs support the needs of students and educators with an easy-to-implement, interactive curriculum that is comprehensive and promotes immersive learning experiences.
District 48 administers various assessments to measure student progress and help teachers understand each student’s areas of strength and weakness in order to provide appropriate instruction.
ACCESS
Upcoming State Assessments:
Illinois Assessment of Readiness IAR
Illinois Science Assessment ISA
Upcoming Local Assessments:
Measures of Academic Progress (MAP)
AimswebPlus Benchmarking: (K-2)
Fall: Sept 13 - Sept 24
Winter: Jan 24 - Feb 4
Spring: April 25 - May 6
There are approximately 65 English learners in Salt Creek District 48 representing over 10 languages and cultural groups. The top most spoken languages other than English are Spanish and Urdu. We are so fortunate to have and celebrate the diversity of the families in our district. The goal of the English learner program is to ensure that ELs have the social and academic language necessary to learn, grow, lead, and succeed in a global society.The program provides support to help students succeed academically and to learn English.
Salt Creek District 48 offers EL support in all school buildings. Students receive support based on their proficiency level, academic, and language needs. Supports include small group resource, classroom push-in, and collaboration with classroom teachers. Generally, EL instruction is delivered during a scheduled intervention block or non-core academic time. The EL services in Salt Creek District 48 follow a transitional program of instruction (TPI). We have ELs of various backgrounds, but do not exceed 19 students that have the same language in one school building.
Questions regarding the EL program can be directed toward the David Miner, SC/SMS EL Specialist (dminer@saltcreek48.org) or Christi Kane, AMS EL Specialist (ckane@saltcreek48.org).
Salt Creek School District 48 utilizes a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework to ensure that every student receives the appropriate level of support to be successful. Key tenets of MTSS to address academic, behavioral and social-emotional needs include:
collaborative problem-solving
data-based decision-making
high-quality evidence-based instruction
Positive Behavior Intervention and Support
Response-to-Intervention
Universal Design for Learning
ongoing assessment
professional development
family, school, and community partnership
Livestream from the child’s current classroom, in core subjects only, within 24 hrs of a known quarantine. This will include Math, ELA, Science, and Social Studies.
Live Streaming is intended to provide students with a window into the classroom to support their continued learning during the quarantine period.
Asynchronous learning during the quarantine period may be provided, in addition to Livestream. This is not required but may be utilized if beneficial for learning.
Staff will be notified in the event of a student quarantine
Student work is shared through either Seesaw or Google Classroom (grade level dependent)
EL & Special Education services will be communicated to students/parents at the time of quarantine. This may include Livestream/webcast when possible, or services will be made up once the child returns from quarantine. This will be case-dependent.
● The goal of the remote learning program is to ensure continuity of learning and provide the highest quality education possible that is aligned to the most critical standards (ELA, Math, Science, SS).
● Students participating in remote instruction will have access to live, synchronous instruction (2.5 hrs), for their core content only. This includes English Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies. COVID Communication 9/24/21
● Remote instruction is only provided to students who are excluded from school in accordance with Executive Order 2021-24 (confirmed cases, probable cases, and close contacts to cases of COVID-19).
● Remote instruction will begin 48 hours after a child is excluded from in-person instruction.
● Remote instruction is intended to provide students with a window into the classroom to support their continued learning during the quarantine period. Students participating remotely will observe the instruction. The instructional goal is to have teachers focus on in-person instruction.
● Asynchronous learning (2.5 hrs of instruction and schoolwork) during the quarantine period will also be provided.
● Staff will be notified in the event of a student quarantine.
● Student work is shared through either Seesaw or Google Classroom (grade level dependent).
● Special Education services are required to be delivered during periods of remote instruction. This may include Livestream/webcast when possible, or services will be made up once the child returns from quarantine. This will be case-dependent and case managers will coordinate service delivery with parents/families.
● English Learner and intervention services are not required to be delivered during periods of remote instruction. These services may be delivered and will be case-dependent.
