Dear Skokie Families,

This past week, I had the privilege of attending the NCSM/NCTM (National Council for Supervision and Teaching in Mathematics) National Conference in San Antonio, Texas.  This nationally and internationally recognized research organization of teachers and administrators leads the way in promoting instructional practices, resources and interventions based on the experience, extensive research and expertise of its members.  It was with great pride that I sat in the audience of one of the week's presentations, led by five of our very own Winnetka Math Facilitators:  Judith Campbell, Eileen Goodspeed, Allison Greer, Chi Quach and Sam Yusim.  Their presentation, entitled "From Vision to Reality:  Reflections on the Transformation of a K-8 District," chronicled the timeline of work done within the district over the years since the implementation of the Common Core State Standards, the incredible journey that it has been, and the ways in which we continue to adapt and evolve as a leading district in Math Education.  The presentation itself was engaging and honest, and an incredible testament to the hard work done in our small, but mighty district.  If you follow me on Twitter, you will have seen several tweets on the presentation (And if you don't---follow me!  It's a great way to get quick snippets of information on our school!).  Congratulations to this great team of educators leading the way and taking a risk by presenting on the national stage.  You make us proud and represent us so well.

Each time I have the opportunity to attend a conference like this, I am always overwhelmed by feelings of pride, gratitude and humility when I listen to and speak with educators from other parts of our country.  In one session, I sat next to a district administrator from Kingston, Jamaica.  The session we attended together was given by a K-12 educator from St. Louis who had experienced the district-wide process of moving away from letter-grade-based report cards to a standards-based report card as well as standards-based rubrics for all assignments and assessments.  Their main motivation for moving this way was based on high failure rates and poor performance on state and national assessments.  The woman next to me was amazed to hear the brief story of Winnetka that I shared with her, in that we do not give grades until 7th grade and promote problem-solving, collaboration and analysis of thought.  When she asked me how many years we had been doing this, and my answer was, "Since about 1860," I don't think I've seen a jaw drop lower.  She told me the story of her impoverished district with uninvolved parents, high drop-out rates and a staff of teachers unwilling to read and practice (or even be exposed to)  based on the incredible research that supports this type of practice in mathematics.  Like all districts, we are not without our challenges in Winnetka; however, we manage to lead the way in our dedication to student learning and mathematical thinking and that was incredibly evident as I spoke with this kind and discouraged educator from Jamaica.  It is healthy and important to be reminded of that during the school year, as it is easy to get lost in the current efforts and forget to celebrate the journey thus far.

Attendance at NCSM/NCTM has led to many great innovations here at The Skokie School:  Math Counts, Intervention Materials for our students like ST Math, Bridges and iReady, collaborative team practices for our teachers, Number Talks in the classroom, the Math Forum and much more.  Keeping our foot on the national stage and our voice in the national conversation around Math is a privilege far too many districts do not enjoy and one that our district has consistently experienced and supported in its commitment to professional development and a staff of life-long learners.  

Congratulations again to our presenters, and thank you to the five Skokie Staff members who took time away from their work to attend this important conference. 

Enjoy the weekend together with your families.

Most Sincerely,

Kelly Tess

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