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College and Career Readiness Newsletter
We will be posting a newsletter on information regarding College and Career Readiness in the Oak Hills Local School District quarterly.
Please click here for the latest edition.
Archived Editions:
Post Secondary Meetings Survey
We would like to thank all of our parents and students who attended a post secondary meeting in November. As we continue to evaluate how we can best support our students and families, we would like to ask you to complete a short survey about your experience. We appreciate and value your feedback.
Middle School Math
In response to changes in National and State Content Standards, the Middle School Math Department in the OHLSD is in the developmental stages of researching new math programs and materials. Oak Hills Teachers and Administration have spent the last year aligning the math curriculum to the more rigorous ACT College and Career Readiness Standards and the National Common Core Standards that will go into effect in the year 2012-13. It is the goal of the Middle School Oak Hills Math Department to ensure all of our students are on track to be career and college ready.
Currently, the sixth and seventh grade math programs within the Oak Hills Local School District have both regular and advanced math classes. Students are recommended for placement in the Advanced Math class based upon a combination of Terra Nova test scores, historical OAA results, and past classroom performance. At this time, both grade levels are using the Connected Mathematics Program. Students study a variety of math topics including algebra, geometry, number sense, measurement, data analysis and probability.
All 8th grade math course offerings are taken for high school credit. Students are recommended for Algebra 1 (level 1), Algebra 1 (level 2), and Introduction to Algebra (level 2) based upon a combination of Terra Nova test scores, historical OAA results, and past classroom performance. All three classes are designed to accelerate student growth in preparation for future Mathematics courses at Oak Hills High School.
Middle School English Language Arts
The Oak Hills Local School District is strongly committed to helping each student develop the diverse literacy skills needed for success in the 21st Century. To support the attainment of this goal, two research-based English Language Arts programs, Expert 21 and READ 180 Next Generation, are utilized to meet the needs of our students.
Expert 21 utilizes a combination of explicit instruction, inquiry based learning, relevant literature and informational texts, real world writing and projects as well as supportive technology. For more information, visit www.scholastic.com/expert21
READ 180 utilizes cutting-edge technology to deliver individualized reading instruction, build essential literacy skills for college and career readiness, provide valuable skills practice, and supports the application of reading and writing strategies to other subjects such as social studies,math, and science. For more information, visit www.scholastic.com/read180/
Each student’s academic performance data from multiple sources will be reviewed to determine which program best meets the student’s academic needs.
Middle School Science
In 2009, Oak Hills adopted SEPUP, an issues-oriented science curriculum, for its middle schools. The goals of issue-oriented science are to engage students in the process of learning science, to encourage students to use scientific evidence to make decisions, and to help educate tomorrow’s citizens about the application of science to everyday life.
Every unit uses personal and societal issues to provide themes for student investigations and observations. Students are asked questions such as, “What can you do to reduce the risk of getting food poisoning?” and “How can releasing your unwanted pet into the wild affect the environment?” These types of personal and societal issues help engage students in the study of science. Students are provided with some evidence about the issue at hand, but they often realize that they have more questions than answers. These new questions are addressed in a series of science activities that introduce and teach relevant science concepts. Eventually, students apply their new science knowledge and reconsider the issue.
More information about SEPUP can be found by visiting this link.
Middle School Social Studies
Students in grades six through eight receive daily instruction in Social Studies content. The current instructional program pulls from a variety of materials and resources and is designed to develop the student’s mastery of the Social Studies Academic Content Standards (2002). Sixth grade students study the regions and people of the Eastern Hemisphere, while seventh graders focus on Ancient World Studies and eighth graders learn about Early American History. With the recent adoption and pending implementation of The Revised Academic Content Standards and Model Curriculum, teachers and administration in Oak Hills Local School District will be working to identify and select new programs and materials to guide future instruction in this content area. The new standards directly address the 21st-century skills of civic literacy, financial and economic literacy and global awareness. Links to other 21st-century skills such as problem solving, communication, media literacy and leadership are more fully developed in the model curriculum.
For more information about the Revised Content Standards please visit the Approved Social Studies Standards Revisions
OAA Testing Schedule and Resources
The Ohio Achievement Assessments (OAA) are given to students in grades 3-8 in language arts and math. Students in grades 5 and 8 also take a science assessment. These tests measure students on what they know and are able to do in various subjects.
The OAA tests are typically given during the last two weeks of April in the elementary and middle schools. During this time, it is especially important for your student to get plenty of sleep and eat a well-balanced breakfast. The specific schedule for OAA testing during the 2012-2013 school year is below.
| Testing Date | Grade/Subject |
| April 30, 2013 | Gr. 6,7,8 Reading |
| May 1, 2013 | Gr. 8 Math |
| May 2, 2013 | Gr. 6,7 Math |
| May 2, 2013 | Gr. 8 Science |
To find more information about the Ohio Achievement Assessments, please click here.
Terra Nova and In-View Testing
The TerraNova is a series of standardized achievement tests used assess to student achievement in reading, language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. The InView assessment is an assessment of cognitive abilities that includes verbal reasoning, sequences, analogies, and quantitative reasoning. Oak Hills uses TerraNova and InView results to reliably measure skills and abilities important for academic success, help plan effective programs for students, and screen students for placement into special programs.
The Terra Nova and InView assessments are typically given during the first week of March. For the 2012-2013 school year, one of these tests will be given to students in grades 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7 during the week of March 4. During this time, it is especially important for your student to get plenty of sleep and eat a well-balanced breakfast.
To find more information about the Terra Nova and InView tests, please click here.
AIMSweb Assessments
As part of a comprehensive intervention process at Oak Hills Local School District, our schools have a process for identifying at-risk learners with a research-based, universal screening process in the areas of Reading and Mathematics. When students are identified early, interventions can be delivered, and teachers can respond with effective instructional strategies in a timely manner. Many forms of assessments are used by the teachers and staff at Oak Hills to assist in this intervention process, but one common assessment that is used for the purpose of identifying at-risk students for possible intervention services is called the “AIMSweb Assessments”. All students in grades K-8 are assessed three times per year (Fall, Winter, and Spring) with brief, curriculum-based assessments for Reading and Math with the AIMSweb assessments. If students are in need of interventions, they are then progress monitored using AIMSweb in a web-based tracking system which allows students, parents, and teachers to visually analyze the student’s growth with progress monitoring reports. The AIMSweb data is always used in conjunction with other assessments that are gathered at the various grade levels to support the curriculum. Please contact your child’s teacher, school psychologist, or school counselor to discuss the AIMSweb results at any time of the year.
For more information about the AIMSweb system, visit: www.aimsweb.com
Response to Intervention (RTI)
In 2008, the Oak Hills Local School District began a district-wide initiative to implement the Response to Intervention Process (RTI) to address the unique learning needs of ALL students. RTI is a multi-tiered approach that focuses on the early identification and support of students across all domains of learning. RTI helps educators determine what levels of academic, behavior, and social/emotional support each student needs in order to reach their future goals. RTI begins with Tier 1, which consists of high quality, research-based instruction for all students. For students that need extra support in addition to the core curriculum, Tier 2 interventions are identified and provided, which are typically delivered through small-group interventions matched to the students’ needs by the classroom teacher. For those students needing intensive supports, individualized Tier 3 interventions are implemented with frequent progress monitoring. The multi-tiered approach allows teachers and parents to collaboratively determine appropriate services for each student based on the student’s response to high quality instruction and interventions. If you feel your child is in need of intervention services, please contact your child’s teacher, school psychologist, or school counselor for assistance.
For more information about the RTI process, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s Website on RTI: www.rti4success.org
Gifted Services
Students are identified as gifted when scoring at or above the 95th percentile on the Terra Nova test during the 2nd, 4th, or 7th grades in one or more of the following academic areas of study – Reading, Math, Science or Social Studies. Students may also be identified by having a composite score index of 128 or higher on the In-view exam, which is administered in grades 4 and 6.
Superior Cognitive and Specific Academic Reading students in grades 3, 4, and 5 will be served by a gifted certified Language Arts teacher and/or Gifted Intervention Specialist. Students in grades 6 and 7 will be cluster grouped in Language Arts and will be served by the gifted certified Language Arts teacher through a differentiated curriculum. Superior Cognitive and Specific Academic Mathematics students in grades 6 and 7 will be served by the gifted certified Math teacher in Advanced Mathematics Courses.
In grade 8, Superior Cognitive and Specific Academic students in the areas of Reading, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies will be served in high school credit classes by gifted certified teachers in those areas.
To download the Gifted Services Model and Entrance Criteria, Click Here
Report Card Dates
The Oak Hills School District uses Progress Book to record and report grades for each student. Parents and students are able to view their grades throughout the quarter and their report cards at the end of each quarter. If you do not have a log-in for Progress Book, please contact the secretary in your students’ building.
During the 2012-2013 school year the dates for report cards to be available online are listed below.
| 1st Quarter | 2nd Quarter | 3rd Quarter | 4th Quarter |
| 10/25/12 | 1/17/13 | 3/22/13 | 6/3/13 |
To be able to see your student’s progress throughout the quarter and final report cards, please click on this link to access Progress Book.
ePortfolio
All sixth through twelfth grade students in Oak Hills Local School District will begin developing a personal electronic portfolio (ePortfolio) during the 2012-2013 school year. The ePortfolio will be a site where they can reflect on their learning throughout their educational career, develop goals and action plans for their future, and share their progress and accomplishments with a variety of interested parties. The ePortfolios will change at each level of a students academic development. Portfolio content will initially focus on student reflections on learning, tracking progress, and goal development. The focus will gradually shift to make the site a venue for sharing their skills and knowledge with interested colleges, recruiters, and potential employers.
Post Secondary Readiness Meetings
Oak Hills Local School District offers families the opportunity to meet with their child and a staff member to discuss their post secondary readiness each year. These meetings are lead by the student and facilitated through their individualized ePortfolios. Meetings at each grade level are designed to initiate or renew the conversation about a students future plans, reflect of their readiness level through standardized measurements, and learn about the opportunities that are available to them through the Oak Hills Pathways to the Future. A different career and college readiness tool is featured in each grade levels meetings. Sixth grade families review the results of the ACT ENGAGE, while seventh grade meeting features results from the students participation in the Kuder Navigator program, and eight grade meetings report result from the ACT EXPLORE.
Click on the links to learn more about these programs.
ACT ENGAGE, KUDER NAVIGATOR, ACT EXPLORE
Advisory
All sixth through eight grade students in Oak Hills School District are enrolled in a 20 minute advisory course that meets daily. Advisory classrooms are designed to help students connect to an adult advocate in the building and receive personalized and meaningful social, emotional and civic learning opportunities with a focus on developing the necessary precursors to academic achievement. Activities in advisory classrooms are designed to strengthen the students connection and sense of belonging within the school environment, develop positive academic behaviors, promote leadership in each individual, and identify personal goals and other motivators to success. The advisory classroom is the primary place for students to develop their personal ePortfolio along with the advisory teacher. Students will learn to be an expert in their own career and college readiness and the facilitator of their postsecondary readiness meetings.
College and Career Readiness
Eight grade students in Oak Hills Local School District are given the opportunity to take EXPLORE each fall. This test is their entry point into the ACT College and Career Readiness System offered by Oak Hills that includes EXPLORE, PLAN, and The ACT, America’s most widely accepted college entrance exam. EXPLORE contains four curriculum-based assessments: English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science. The assessment is based on the major areas of high school and postsecondary instructional programs and measures the skills and knowledge needed for college success. Additionally, EXPLORE includes a career exploration component that stimulates students’ thinking about future plans and relates personal characteristics to career options. Families receive a detailed report that includes an overall score and scores in each tested area along with projected results for future tests, suggestions for improvement, and self reported information about interests and potential career choices. This reports serves as the centerpiece of the eighth grade postsecondary meetings held each year. Oak Hills Middle schools have shown a committment to increase the career and college readiness of students as measured by EXPLORE by implementing the ACT college and career readiness standards in all curricular areas and providing multiple practice EXPLORE testing opportunities in grades six through eight.
Learn more about the ACT Career and College Readiness System
High School Credit Classes in Middle School
Oak Hills is proud to offer our middle school students a rigorous curriculum that provides our students a wide variety of classes they can take for high school credit in their middle school years. During a student’s eighth grade year, they can choose to take high school credit algebra, biology, language arts and early American History. Students’ elective courses can also be applied to high school credit requirements.
In an effort to continue delivering a high quality education and increase opportunities for students to earn high school credit outside of the traditional school day online classes are also being created. Health is offered for high school credit to all eighth grade students in an online setting. Students in seventh grade have the opportunity to take Spanish online and students in eighth grade are able to take Mandarin Chinese online. Other online classes are being developed and piloted for Oak Hills’ students.
Clubs / Extracurricular Organizations
Destination Imagination
Do you enjoy performing, creating, building, and solving real life problems? Are you looking for a fun and exciting way to challenge yourself and to compete with a team of your friends at the same time? Destination Imagination might be just what you need!
Click here for more details
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