Implementing New Curricular Learning with
Universally Designed Experiences
INCLUDE
Welcome to the Lindbergh School Include Portal
We are very proud of our participation in the INCLUDE Grant Program!!
Lindbergh School INCLUDE Grant Press Release
Palisades Park School District Awarded
$161,538 Grant
The Palisades Park School District has been awarded a competitive grant for $161,538.00 through the Implementing New Curricular Learning with Universally Designed Experiences (INCLUDE) Grant Program offered by the New Jersey Department of Education. The INCLUDE Grant program is a four-year grant program offering funding increases for each successful year that the program goals our met. In Year 1, Palisades Park will receive $161,538.00. In Year 2, the district may apply for $210,000.00; in Year 3, $225,000.00 and in Year 4, $240,000.00.
The purpose of the grant is to assist all students, including those with learning disabilities and limited English skills, with succeeding in mathematics classrooms. This will be accomplished through on-going training designed to assist 5th and 6th grade math teachers with using new technology resources to move from lecture to more interactive teaching approaches. Teachers will also learn to create a classroom environment based upon the Universal Design for Learning (UDL). In this environment, teachers strive to use alternative means of presentation of materials and allow students to use multiple means of expression to demonstrate learning.
Through grant funds, Palisades Park School District will also equip fifth and sixth grade math classrooms in Lindbergh Elementary School with Smartboards. These are interactive whiteboards that have a touch sensitive surface that controls a computer. An individual's finger becomes a mouse that controls the computer's desktop. Smartboards also allow teacher’s notes to be instantly received by student computers, freeing students to focus on lesson content.
Superintendent, Dr. Mark Hayes stated, “Scientific research has documented that all students learn differently. As we prepare for the future, we must continue to move beyond the traditional blackboard and make daily use of new and amazing technologies to help reach all students. In the past, it would have seemed impossible to tailor lessons to specific student needs, but technology has made it possible for teachers to offer flexibility in every classroom.”
Jane Martin, INCLUDE Grant Program Coordinator, will be forming an INCLUDE Advisory Committee and invites teachers, parents and community members to participate in the grant planning and implementation process. For more information, please contact Mrs. Martin at Lindbergh Elementary School at 201-947-3556 or e-mail her at jmartin@palpkschools.org.
INCLUDE Update June 2008
The Inclusive Practices Team has met weekly to prepare for the implementation of the two INCLUDE fifth grade math classes. Four Smart Boards and printers have been ordered and installed in Mr. Vietri and Mrs. Petruzzelli’s fifth grade classrooms and Mrs. Mockel and Mrs. Martin’s sixth grade classrooms. These teachers are currently attending workshops in Universal Design for Learning provided by IDE Corp. of Ramsey, New Jersey. UDL uses the principles of all access for all people. Using these principles, students with specials needs, as well as second language learners, will succeed in general education classrooms.
The Palisades Park School District has also partnered with Rutgers University to provide professional development in the area of technology and mathematics. Teachers are currently attending workshops with Rutgers and will attend summer workshops as well.
The Inclusive Practices Team is planning a summer transition program for the students going into Mr. Vietri and Mrs. Petruzzelli’s classrooms.
Palisades Park School District Inclusive Team
Mrs. T. Bongard, Principal
Mrs. S. Russo, Title 1/ NCLB Coordinator
Mrs. F. Martini, ESL/World Language Coordinator
Dr. Thapanadilok, Child Study Team Coordinator
Mrs. P. Tana, Technology Coordinator
Mr. J. Vietri, fifth grade math teacher
Mrs. T. Petruzzelli, fifth grade math teacher
Mrs. J. Mockel, sixth grade math teacher
Mrs. J. Martin, sixth grade math teacher, Curriculum Coordinator,
Program Director
Contact: jmartin@palpkschools.org
The State of New Jersey Department of Eduction INCLUDE SITE:
http://www.state.nj.us/education/techno/grants/include/
The Inclusive Practices Team has met and prepared for Phase 2 of INCLUDE over the summer and currently meets weekly to discuss the challenges and successes of INCLUDE goals and objectives.
Currently, there are two INCLUDE fifth grade math classes and two INCLUDE sixth grade math classes. Mr. Vietri and Mrs. Cerepak, Mrs. Petruzzelli and Mr. Haddad, Mrs. Mockel and Ms. Beck, and Mrs. Martin and Ms. Santoro teach these classes. Using various technologies and UDL principles, the students are exposed to many methods of instruction enabling ALL students to be successful.
During the 2008 – 2009 school year the teachers will participate in continuing professional development provided by Rutgers University and IDE Corp. of Ramsey, New Jersey. Smart Boards have also been ordered for two seventh grade INCLUDE math classrooms.
Palisades Park School District Inclusive Practices Team
Dr. M. Hayes Superintendent
Mrs. T. Bongard Principal
Mrs. S. Russo Title 1/NCLB Coordinator
Mrs. F. Martini ESL/World Language Coordinator
Dr. V. Thapanadilok Child Study Team Coordinator
Mrs. P. Tana Technology Coordinator
Mr. J. Vietri, Mrs. T. Petruzzelli, Mrs. J. Mockel, Mrs. J. Martin, Mrs. D. Vandenberghe, Ms. J. Kamvosoulis, Mr. M. Haddad, Mrs. B. Cerepak, Ms. S. Beck, Ms. D. Sanotoro INCLUDE faculty
Mrs. J. Martin, Curriculum Coordinator, INCLUDE Project Director
Contact info: jmartin@palpkschools.org
Palisades Park School District Awarded Second Year of Grant
The Palisades Park School District has been awarded $226,000.00 from the New Jersey Department of Education to implement Year II of the Implementing New Curricular Learning with Universally Designed Experiences (INCLUDE) Grant. The purpose of the INCLUDE project is to ensure access to the same challenging math curriculum to all students, including those with disabilities and Limited English skills. The grant provides training to teachers to enable them to make the necessary accommodations in the general mathematics classroom that will support their achievement of the Core Curriculum Content Standards for all students. The goal of the program is to improve academic achievement in mathematics by assisting teachers with improving instructional strategies by using educational technology effectively. In Year II, Palisades Park School District will build upon the firm foundation of assessment, planning, and equipment that was set in Year I to lead to the full implementation of the INCLUDE Project.
Two teachers in grade 5 from Lindbergh Elementary School will utilize their experiences from Phase I to implement inclusive strategies within the classroom. They will be assisted in this process by the Inclusive Practice Team (IPT), the UDL Provider (Innovative Designs in Education or IDE) and an Institution of Higher Education (Rutgers Center for Math, Science and Computer Education or CMSCE). At the same time, two teachers in grade 6 and two teachers in grade 7 will begin their training in order to prepare their classrooms for Phase III and Phase IV. The involved teachers will participate in ongoing collaboration and training throughout the year in order to attain INCLUDE goals and objectives. In 2008-2009, Palisades Park School District has established four (4) inclusive classrooms. This means that 20-24 special education and limited English students in the fifth and sixth grade. will now learn side by side with their non disabled peers. At the same time, to prepare for next year, two additional classrooms (6th grade) with be retrofitted with a Smartboard, scanner, teacher laptop, projector, a variety of software packages, student computers with microphones and headphones, and other assistive technologies recommended by experts. This technology will assist 6th grade teachers with preparing to include students with special needs and limited English in the general education classroom next year. In the past, these students have been separated from their peers in resource room classrooms. PPSD will also create a PODCAST Lab to better address the needs of struggling math students. Podcasts will be used as a tool to assist all students. They will provide prompts for special needs students who may forget the next step in a mathematical process. They will be used in the classroom to assist LEP students with improving their pronunciation and fluency throughout the year.
To assist teachers with completing the long list of challenging activities, Palisades Park will provide more than 45 hours of professional development for public and non public INCLUDE staff. Training will be provided by Innovative Designs in Education and Rutgers Center for Math Science and Computer Education. In additional to training teachers in the Universal Design for Learning (http://www.cast.org/research/udl/index.html), IDE will provide the following grant-related workshops: • UDL Basics • Barriers to Learning • Assistive Technology in Math • Using CAST’s Online Training Guide • Creating Student Profiles for UDL Planning • Brain Research and UDL • Building a UDL Wiki • Flexible Methods of Presentation • Flexible Means of Expression • Flexible Options for Engagement • Developing a Plan for all Learners (PAL)
Involved INCLUDE staff may also select from the following off site workshops that are planned at the CMSCE site: • Designing Online Portfolios • Teaching Using Inspire Data • Using Running Records: Am Invaluable Assessment • Writing in Math • Using Excel to Enhance Math Instruction • Graphic Organizers in Math • Project Based Learning • Questioning in the Mathematics Classroom Funds available through the INCLUDE grant are also allocated to assist Non Public School Districts. Therefore, Notre Dame Interparochial School has been involved as an outstanding partner in the project. Two Notre Dame Math teachers attended all workshops throughout the school year and summer of 2008. Notre Dame’s recently hired technology coordinator has begun attending all training as well.
The Program Coordinator also continues to articulate with the Notre Dame Principal on a weekly basis. Meanwhile, both IDE and CMSCE will meet with the Notre Dame Principal to create onsite training and in class support schedule for involved non public teachers. Parents are also an important part of the program. They have worked with Child Study Team members throughout the planning year to help prepare their children for inclusion. They also participated in an August 2008 training session to help their children make the transition.
The INCLUDE web site will also feature regular updates and resources for parents. For parents who do not use the Internet, the Project Director has developed a quarterly schoolwide newsletter that will be distributed to the parents. The newsletter will provide parents with strategies and suggestions to help improve mathematic thinking. It will also contain homework advice and topics for discussion to strengthen math skills. Each year, the INCLUDE staff will measure student progress to determine the effectiveness of the project.
A thorough assessment of involved student performance will include a review of variety of types of information such as: • electronic portfolios • student self-assessment • student showcase projects • math skills as measured by classroom grades and standard assessments • IEP reviews and updates • student’s technology proficiency • student’s preferred learning styles and/or environments • evaluation of student progress with assistive technologies • parent feedback on student progress • student ability to assimilate socially To date, Palisades Park School District has made great progress establishing the infrastructure needed to create inclusive classrooms, improve mathematics content delivery and effectively integrate technology into the math curriculum. In 2008-2009, the district has enrolled students in the inclusive classrooms in order to begin to transform the district to one of systemic inclusion. This is the key to providing access to a world class education for all.
Palisades Park School District Awarded Second Year of Grant
The Palisades Park School District has been awarded $226,000.00 from the New Jersey Department of Education to implement Year II of the Implementing New Curricular Learning with Universally Designed Experiences (INCLUDE) Grant. The purpose of the INCLUDE project is to ensure access to the same challenging math curriculum to all students, including those with disabilities and Limited English skills. The grant provides training to teachers to enable them to make the necessary accommodations in the general mathematics classroom that will support their achievement of the Core Curriculum Content Standards for all students. The goal of the program is to improve academic achievement in mathematics by assisting teachers with improving instructional strategies by using educational technology effectively. In Year II, Palisades Park School District will build upon the firm foundation of assessment, planning, and equipment that was set in Year I to lead to the full implementation of the INCLUDE Project.
Two teachers in grade 5 from Lindbergh Elementary School will utilize their experiences from Phase I to implement inclusive strategies within the classroom. They will be assisted in this process by the Inclusive Practice Team (IPT), the UDL Provider (Innovative Designs in Education or IDE) and an Institution of Higher Education (Rutgers Center for Math, Science and Computer Education or CMSCE). At the same time, two teachers in grade 6 and two teachers in grade 7 will begin their training in order to prepare their classrooms for Phase III and Phase IV. The involved teachers will participate in ongoing collaboration and training throughout the year in order to attain INCLUDE goals and objectives. In 2008-2009, Palisades Park School District has established four (4) inclusive classrooms. This means that 20-24 special education and limited English students in the fifth and sixth grade. will now learn side by side with their non disabled peers. At the same time, to prepare for next year, two additional classrooms (6th grade) with be retrofitted with a Smartboard, scanner, teacher laptop, projector, a variety of software packages, student computers with microphones and headphones, and other assistive technologies recommended by experts. This technology will assist 6th grade teachers with preparing to include students with special needs and limited English in the general education classroom next year. In the past, these students have been separated from their peers in resource room classrooms. PPSD will also create a PODCAST Lab to better address the needs of struggling math students. Podcasts will be used as a tool to assist all students. They will provide prompts for special needs students who may forget the next step in a mathematical process. They will be used in the classroom to assist LEP students with improving their pronunciation and fluency throughout the year.
To assist teachers with completing the long list of challenging activities, Palisades Park will provide more than 45 hours of professional development for public and non public INCLUDE staff. Training will be provided by Innovative Designs in Education and Rutgers Center for Math Science and Computer Education. In additional to training teachers in the Universal Design for Learning (http://www.cast.org/research/udl/index.html), IDE will provide the following grant-related workshops: • UDL Basics • Barriers to Learning • Assistive Technology in Math • Using CAST’s Online Training Guide • Creating Student Profiles for UDL Planning • Brain Research and UDL • Building a UDL Wiki • Flexible Methods of Presentation • Flexible Means of Expression • Flexible Options for Engagement • Developing a Plan for all Learners (PAL)
Involved INCLUDE staff may also select from the following off site workshops that are planned at the CMSCE site: • Designing Online Portfolios • Teaching Using Inspire Data • Using Running Records: Am Invaluable Assessment • Writing in Math • Using Excel to Enhance Math Instruction • Graphic Organizers in Math • Project Based Learning • Questioning in the Mathematics Classroom Funds available through the INCLUDE grant are also allocated to assist Non Public School Districts. Therefore, Notre Dame Interparochial School has been involved as an outstanding partner in the project. Two Notre Dame Math teachers attended all workshops throughout the school year and summer of 2008. Notre Dame’s recently hired technology coordinator has begun attending all training as well.
The Program Coordinator also continues to articulate with the Notre Dame Principal on a weekly basis. Meanwhile, both IDE and CMSCE will meet with the Notre Dame Principal to create onsite training and in class support schedule for involved non public teachers. Parents are also an important part of the program. They have worked with Child Study Team members throughout the planning year to help prepare their children for inclusion. They also participated in an August 2008 training session to help their children make the transition.
The INCLUDE web site will also feature regular updates and resources for parents. For parents who do not use the Internet, the Project Director has developed a quarterly schoolwide newsletter that will be distributed to the parents. The newsletter will provide parents with strategies and suggestions to help improve mathematic thinking. It will also contain homework advice and topics for discussion to strengthen math skills. Each year, the INCLUDE staff will measure student progress to determine the effectiveness of the project.
A thorough assessment of involved student performance will include a review of variety of types of information such as: • electronic portfolios • student self-assessment • student showcase projects • math skills as measured by classroom grades and standard assessments • IEP reviews and updates • student’s technology proficiency • student’s preferred learning styles and/or environments • evaluation of student progress with assistive technologies • parent feedback on student progress • student ability to assimilate socially To date, Palisades Park School District has made great progress establishing the infrastructure needed to create inclusive classrooms, improve mathematics content delivery and effectively integrate technology into the math curriculum. In 2008-2009, the district has enrolled students in the inclusive classrooms in order to begin to transform the district to one of systemic inclusion. This is the key to providing access to a world class education for all.
Palisades Park School District INCLUDE Grant 2008-2009
February 2009 Update
The students in Mrs. Petruzzelli’s, Mr. Vietri’s, Mrs. Knapp’s, and Mrs. Martin’s INCLUDE math classes continue to show academic and social progress in mathematics. The students have continued to meet the challenges of the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards for their grade level. The INCLUDE teachers use various types of technology, Universal Design for Learning strategies, and differentiation to help remove the barriers students could encounter with the curriculum. Students in the INCLUDE classes are also participating in after school math classes. Students work on mathematical problems in the area of geometry, algebraic thinking, and data interpretation and probability using Study Island, an online test practice program. They can also work on open-ended problem solving, which is an important skill tested on the NJASK test. Smart boards are used to illustrate and model mathematical principles. The after school classes also provide opportunities for students to express themselves mathematically to their teacher and peers, which builds confidence in math and can carry over to all subject areas. There will be an informational parent meeting for INCLUDE on January 12, 2009 from 7:00 until 8:00PM in the Lindbergh School auditorium. Parents, guardians, and students in the INCLUDE classes are invited to attend. We will discuss the goals and objectives of the grant and have a question and answer period.
Any questions please call 201-947-3556 or jmartin@palpkschools.org
Mrs. J. Martin, Project Director, INCLUDE Grant
Links to Other NJ INCLUDE Grant Schools
Implementing New Curricular Learning with
Universally Designed Experiences
INCLUDE
