Polk County Public Schools
The Polk Public Schools success with “Response With Intervention” methodology was recently featured in a professional publication of the Florida Department of Education and the University of South Florida.
Polk’s successful implementation of Response With Intervention was detailed in the Fall 2009 edition of RtI Update. RtI is an acronym for Response With Intervention. RtI is a program where students are screened for their abilities in math, science and reading. Based upon screening results, performance interventions and methods are provided to address the individual student’s particular area of need. Interventions and methods could vary based on screening results. Interventions could include small group instruction, computer practice or intensified, additional instruction.
Another aspect of RtI is the use of the positive behavior system where positive and alternative approaches to traditional methods of discipline are used.
Extensive collection and examination of data is used in RtI. Polk staff mentioned in the article are Nancy Woolcock, assistant superintendent of learning support; Linda Troupe, director of student services; Pam Stein, senior manager of psychological services, Jim Maxwell, school psychologist and Susan Jones, district RtI coach.
Click here to view the full text of the article.
Contact Nancy Woolcock at (863) 519-8169 for further information on RtI.
Lakeland’s Combee Elementary and the MorganStanleySmithBarney branch of Lakeland partnered on a mentoring program where new teachers were paired with experienced ones over the course of the 2008-2009 school year. MorganStanleySmithBarney provided financial support in the form of a grant that provided mentoring materials and covered other expenses. The program involved dialogue, communications and other interaction between the new and veteran teachers. Strategies and tactics between the two groups centered on classroom-based, student learning techniques. Newer teachers at Combee that participated were Sarah Cunningham, Candace Crosby, April Diaz, Angelique Littlejohn and Lisa Mottarella. Veteran teachers at Combee that acted as mentors were Ellen Carey, Rachel McCall, Mary Ann Mummey, Andrea Sawyer, Bonnie Warren and Lisa Willman.
Haines City’s Alta Vista Elementary received donations of school supplies from community partner OptaComp. The school supplies included writing material, pencil sharpeners, folders and health kits. The health kits educate students about hygiene. The school supplies were distributed at the start of the 2009-2010 school year. OptaComp is a subsidiary of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida.
OptaComp also donated 2,000 books to Alta Vista. All of Alta Vista’s students, approximately 1,000, received a book to bring home. The remainder of the inventory of books were donated to the school. Donated book topics include celebrating diversity and some books are bi-lingual (Spanish/English). OptaComp representatives distributed the books during a visit to the school at the end of the 2008-2009 school year. The book donation totaled approximately $5,000.
