• BASIC SKILLS INSTRUCTION

    Introduction

    The primary goals of an Essex Fells education include:

    1. Developing in all pupils the capacity to think critically and communicate effectively through mastery of written and spoken English.
    2. Motivating all pupils to recognize and develop their academic abilities in order to build character and to achieve their full potential.

    The first two goals of the Essex Fells School Mission Statement are carried out both in and out of the classroom setting.  Our entire staff strives to meet these expectations by tailoring learning and achievement to student needs. Basic Skills Instruction (BSI) was designed to remediate skill deficits in reading, decoding, reading comprehension, written language, and mathematics. Through a customized approach, children are provided with instruction that targets gaps in their foundational skills in order to transfer them to their classwork. 

    Design of Program

    Basic Skills Instruction is a K-6 regular education supplemental instructional program.  Once a teacher(s) has identified a student in need and implemented classroom support,  which is one piece of tier-one intervention, push-in support from a specialist may occur. If progress is not timely, students will receive pull-out instruction in an individual or small group setting with targeted instruction for the duration of 10 weeks.  Ongoing assessments and teacher collaboration will determine whether an additional 10 weeks of instruction is necessary.  Dismissal from the program will commence upon review by the I&RS team. 

    Eligibility for Program

                 All students in kindergarten through sixth grade are monitored and assessed on a regular basis by the classroom teachers.  In the event a student demonstrates areas of weakness and/or low testing outcomes, the teacher will seek further recommendations from the Intervention and Referral Services (I&RS) Team.  An I&RS referral packet will be completed.  This comprehensive packet includes input from the parents, teachers, and the student to provide a comprehensive view of the child.  Discussion and planning will convene to develop the most appropriate support program.  Finally, at the I&RS meeting, parents will be asked for their input and consent.

    Parent Communication and Progress Monitoring
    Parents can decline the recommendation for BSI services through the I&RS process. Plans will be sent home for parental consent to participate and notification of dismissal.  Student progress will be communicated through parent-teacher conferences, report card comments, e-mails, and/or phone conferences.  BSI services will be documented on the student’s I&RS plan and will be modified as needed. Exit or possible re-entry into BSI is tracked by the I&RS committee. Consideration for re-entry into BSI will begin after the current classroom teacher completes an updated referral packet. Five and ten-week updates are provided to the team and parents.