1. Curriculum Connections
N e sh a mi n y S ch o o l D i s t r i c t
Volume 2, Issue 2
Winter 2012
Inside this
Cu rr icu lu m, A s s es s m ent & Ins t ru ct io n
issue:
F r o m t h e D e s k o f D r. G e e t a H e b l e
Art K-12 2
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 reau- ment and teaching practice. Assess- Business 2
thorized the Elementary and Secondary Edu- ments have the power to be transforma- Education 6-12
cation Act enacted in 1965 and instituted the tive when teachers use them as an inte- Family & Consumer 3
Pennsylvania System of School Assessment gral part of the instructional cycle and Science 6-12
(PSSA) as an external accountability meas- then examine the test data to adjust
Health, PE & Wellness 3
ure. Its purpose is to ensure that all students, their instruction to meet student needs.
in every district in the state, are being in- Standardized tests, such as the (PSSA) Language Arts K-5 4
structed in the eligible content identified in for grades 3-8 and grade 11 in reading,
Language Arts 6-12 4
Pennsylvania Academic Core Content Stan- writing, mathematics and science, are
dards. The percentage of students who need not easily embedded in the instructional ELL K-12 5
to demonstrate proficiency on the PSSA has sequence because they are administered
increased steadily since the tests were first by an external entity, the Pennsylvania Library Science K-12 5
administered over a decade ago. This year Department of Education. However,
Math K-5 6
the targets for the number of students who since the curricula in grades K-12 in all
must be proficient are 78% for math and 81% subjects, including reading, math and Math 6-12 6
for reading. Writing and science are not used science, are aligned to the state stan-
Music K-12 7
to calculate Adequate Yearly Progress. dards, preparation for the PSSA is in-
tentionally integrated into lessons Professional 7
Success in the world beyond school is deter- throughout the year. Development
mined not only by proficiency on the PSSA Science K-12
but by many learning experiences that help To perform at advanced and proficient 8
students to meet future college and career levels, students need to learn test- Social 8
challenges. Although it is one data point in taking strategies in addition to master- Studies K-12
student achievement, public opinion of a ing content and skills. They also need to Technology 9
school district is based on PSSA results. build stamina for sustained effort to Education 6-12
Therefore, it is necessary for students to take apply their knowledge. To that end, the World 9
the tests seriously and truly demonstrate District has supported classroom in- Languages 9-12
their knowledge. Proficiency on the grade 11 struction with resources for teachers
PSSA is a graduation requirement according and opportunities for every student to Instructional 10
Technology
to the Pennsylvania School Code (Chapter 4). be successful.
Douglas Reeves, a leading educator and re-
searcher, says that the fundamental purpose
of assessment is to improve student achieve-

2. Page 2
Curriculum Connections
Art Leaves No Child Behind at Neshaminy
“Art is an irreplaceable cross-curricular themes, and prior knowledge, as
way of understanding skills and information well as read and follow
and expressing the which coincides with and written directions which
world,” says Dana Gioia supports the PSSA math include sequential reading
the National Endowment and reading anchors. skills.
for the Arts Chairman. These assessment anchors
Gioia continues, “Art de- have been embedded into Mathematic skills also exist
lights, instructs, consoles. the Neshaminy art cur- within art. These PSSA
It educates our emo- riculum in areas where standardized testing strate-
tions.” In the face of they were considered a gies include but are not
state and federal stan- limited to several of the
natural fit and in doing so
dards and standardized have made this knowledgefollowing actions: applying
testing, many art advo- standard measurement,
available and accessible to
cates like Dana Gioia teachers at all levels. application and use of an-
have been endorsing the gles, and the application
“Art is an arts. Such advocates ar- Art may include but is not and use ratios.
gue that art contributes limited to strategies for
irreplaceable to measurable gains in
learning and in No Child
developing the skills Throughout Neshaminy
needed for PSSA stan- School District, art teachers
way of Left Behind boosting aca- dardized testing within the in elementary, middle and
field of Language Arts. A high school are using our
understanding
demic scores in literacy
and mathematics. number of these activities spiraled curriculum along
require students to iden- with assorted procedures,
and expressing Art education continually tify main ideas, to make techniques and strategies to
the world,” creates and interacts with connections between new meet the needs of standard-
ia the PSSA Success: It’s Our “Business”
says Dana Gio
The preparation of our The focus on writing as- fiction type, we are sup-
students to be successful signments varies. The porting a major area
on the PSSA tests is our writing may be to cap- tested on the PSSA.
business. Although the ture an idea, give a cor- Preparation for achiev-
major instruction of skills rect response, edit what ing in mathematics fo-
to earn a score of profi- is written or provide a cuses on the number and
cient or above rests with final document. When operations standard.
the Mathematics and students are asked to Practical applications of
English Departments, the read, there is a focus on math are present in al-
learning activities in the word recognition skills, most all BCIT class-
Business, Computer and vocabulary development, rooms. Aside from basic
Information Technology inferences and conclu- arithmetic, word prob-
(BCIT) classes in the dis- sions, interpretation, lems dominate our cur-
trict provide support to comprehension and the riculum. Mental math,
the students and to the ability to read critically. estimating, applying the
PSSA initiative. Reading Not all reading assign- order of operations, ap-
and writing assignments ments are in the text- plying formulas, creating
in the BCIT classrooms book. Other printed ma- excel spreadsheets, as
provide a vast opportunity terials are used and se- well as designing and
for building PSSA test lected to encourage interpreting graphs and
skills. Our staff uses the reading while providing charts are all math skills
John Collins approach for a source of new learning. supporting PSSA prepa-
writing activities and the Since reading in our ration.
KWL scaffold for reading. classes is of the non-

3. Vo l u m e 2 , I s s u e 2 Page 3
“F.C.S.: We’re not home-ec anymore.”
Family and Consumer Sci- fiction readings that mir- interpretive, and criti-
ence (F.C.S.) education is ror the PSSA. Writing cal sciences to help stu-
an interdisciplinary field prompts follow that re- dents identify, under-
by nature and is often con- quire students to read for stand, and solve the
sidered the heart of cur- information, identify the continuing concerns of
riculum. The skills and main ideas, make connec- individuals and society.
concepts taught in math, tions between new and To address these con-
reading, writing, science, prior knowledge, and cerns, students are re-
and social studies are inte- make predictions and in- quired to use inquiry
g r a t e d , e n - ferences. and discovery, hypothe-
riched, and applied to size, experiment, and
practical real-life experi- Mathematics is a continual draw conclusions. Top-
ences in the F.C.S. class- focus in the F.C.S. class- ics including nutrition
room. Basic operations, Researching vitamin requirements
room. For this reason, and food science, our for brochure project.
F.C.S. plays an active role fractions, proportions, plant and animal food
in developing the profi- percentages, measuring, supply, human anat-
ciencies needed for the weights, and metric con- omy and physiology,
P.S.S.A. and complements version are logically incor- and green living are
overall instruction at porated into a variety of studied in the F.C.S.
Neshaminy at both the authentic hands-on activi- classroom.
middle and high school ties and innovative col-
levels. laborative projects in both For more specific infor-
the kitchen and classroom. mation about the ways
In order to support Lan- Family and Consumer
guage Arts, F.C.S. students The F.C.S. curriculum in- S c i e n c e supports
are provided with non- tegrates knowledge and Neshaminy’s PSSA ef-
processes from empirical, forts go to FCS and the
PSSA.
Health and PE meets the PSSA
In departments across math skills/mapping BUT, as schools across
Neshaminy the question skills/body spelling/flash the country are de-
asked is what do we do to cards/written class work. creasing PE due to
support our students in budget concerns and
preparing for their PSSA’s. We don’t stop there; our pressure to improve
The pressure put on dis- middle and high schools academic test scores
tricts by the state to meet a are busy with target heart studies show that
certain level is daunting rates/distance and direc- physical activity stimu-
and we all knew it was tion/technology initia- lates the brain, thus
time to make sure we did tives/metabolic rate/ increasing test scores.
what we could to help. elevation and terrain/ The following link tells
The Health and Physical short s t o r i e s / e s s a y s the story of a school in
Education Department graded to the PA writing Illinois where the kids
rubric/problem solving. School. PE and Academic Im-
jumped headlong into this who struggle in math provement
initiative. The Health and PE depart- and reading go to PE
ment could go on and on as first period, to stimu- As the studies continue to come
Stopping by PE in our ele- out saying that physically active
mentary schools you may we see how important it is late their brain.
for our students to have "Exercise, good fitness- and fit children tend to have
see word walls/new vo- better academic achievement,
cabulary/open ended as- success during standard- based exercise, makes
ized tests. our brain more ready to we will continue to support all of
sessments/challenge sce- learn," says John Ratey our students physically and aca-
narios/pedometers & of the Harvard Medical demically.

4. Page 4
Curriculum Connections
Getting a Win on the
Pennsylvania System of School Language Arts
Assessment (PSSA) in 6-12
Elementary Reading
Research shows that the best prepara- In response to the challenge of state-
tion for PSSA Reading is to have a mandated testing, teachers of Lan-
high-quality reading program that en- guage Arts have further refined their
courages daily independent reading at curriculum over the past three years
school and at home. Students who to ensure that its content and skills
read from a wide selection of genres have a solid basis in PA State Stan-
develop a confidence with reading and dards. To prepare our students for
absorb a deep level of vocabulary that success in the Reading and Writing
supports their comprehension. components of the PSSA, we have de-
veloped an array of materials offering
Since the start of this school year, students a balance of support and op-
teachers and students have been in- portunity for growth. Curriculum
volved literacy activities designed to maps of English courses, grades 6-12,
explicitly teach students to think like are available for parents’ perusal as we
readers. Students are introduced to work together to strengthen the liter-
many different types of texts such as acy skills of the students in our school
fiction, non-fiction, poetry and authen- district.
tic literature. Students are able to use
seven effective, research-based habits With this foundation in place, we peri-
and strategies to move towards inde- odically assess our students to deter-
pendence in reading. mine both their strengths and areas
that need further remediation. In ad-
These seven habits follow: dition to common assessments devel-
∗ Great readers see themselves as oped by the District, Language Arts
readers teachers also have access to Class-
room Diagnostic Tools, an on-line re-
∗ Great readers make sense of text source offered by the Pennsylvania
Department of Education (PDE). Stu-
∗ Great readers use what they know dents may take up to five assessments
in Reading and Writing each year,
∗ Great readers understand how
providing them and their teachers
stories work
with immediate feedback. This infor-
∗ Great readers read to learn mation can help teachers to tailor
classroom instruction to best meet the
∗ Great readers monitor and organ- needs of their students.
ize ideas and information
In addition to resources provided by
∗ Great readers think critically PDE on its website, Neshaminy has
about what they read invested in a literature program that
balances nonfiction with the classics
PSSA testing provides an opportunity of fiction, all aligned to PA State Stan-
for students to take all they have dards. In classrooms the students
learned throughout the school year and share common texts and work with
apply it this assessment. All students their teachers to progress as thinkers,
are encouraged to shine by demon- writers, and readers, the ultimate goal
strating their personal best. of the English Department.

5. Vo l u m e 2 , I s s u e 2 Page 5
ELL (English Language Learners)
The Teacher’s Guide: lack familiarity with the ∗ Accompany oral direc-
Getting Ready for the PSSA test format. Author tions with written di-
PSSA: Successful Strate- Jim Cummings states that rections
gies for English Lan- one way for ELLs to be-
∗ Highlight key words or
guage Learners states come familiar with multi- phrases and use high-
that one of the most im- ple choice tests is to cre- lighters for visual cues
portant ways to prepare ate their own multiple
your ELLs for the PSSAs choice tests in groups and ∗ Allow students to
is to teach the Pennsyl- then share them. mark responses in test
vania Academic Stan- booklets (Answers
dards year-round. Re- The following are some must then be trans-
of the accommodations ferred.)
search has shown that
ELLs who have good that are permitted by the It is important to re-
study habits and have Pennsylvania Department member that the PSSA
done some practice tests of Education: is an indicator of what
are more likely to be suc- ∗ Use the student’s native ELLs have been ex-
cessful on the PSSAs. language for instructions posed to, and not nec-
essarily an individual
When helping ELLs pre- ∗ Simplify the language of measure of their knowl-
pare for testing, it is most directions and quietly edge. Bear in mind that
helpful to model the repeat instructions to the ELL is required to
strategy being taught. ELLs
participate in the PSSA
Having a visual image of before gaining mastery
the strategy, followed by ∗ Have the student dem-
of the English Lan-
onstrate understanding
practice, is beneficial to of directions guage.
the ELL. ELLs may also
Library Science
∗ PSSA reading scores linked di-
Do school libraries and Library Media rectly to school library staffing, through which the li-
Specialists (LMS) help to improve PSSA
information technology, and inte- brary media program
test scores? According to the extensive
grating information literacy
body of research, a clear link exists be- ∗ reaches beyond its
tween school library media programs How School Librarians Help Kids own walls to classrooms,
that are staffed by an LMS and student Achieve Standards. Denver: Library labs, and offices
academic achievement. Specifically, the Research Service, 2000. Test scores
school library does have impact on increase as library media spe- These are just two of the
PSSA scores. Keith Curry Lance and cialists spend more time in key many research studies that
others reported so in their findings in establish the link between
activities:
Measuring Up to Standards: The Im- the presence of adequate
pact of School Library Programs & In- ∗ planning cooperatively with teach- school library staffing and
formation Literacy in Pennsylvania ers higher academic achieve-
Schools. ment
∗ identifying materials for teachers
∗ Presence of adequate school li- Other factors such as pupil
brary staffing linked to higher ∗ teaching information literacy skills expenditures, teacher-pupil
PSSA (Pennsylvania System of to students ratio, community condi-
School Assessment) reading scores tions, poverty, and low adult
∗ providing in-service training to
∗ PSSA reading scores increase as teachers educational attainment do
school library staffing increases not account for these find-
∗ managing a computer network ings.

6. Page 6
Curriculum Connections
Math K-5
Elementary math students in grades 3-5 that common errors are worked on
have a variety of PSSA practice activities throughout the year.
that are used in the months leading up
to the test. ∗ Our “First in Math” program has a
section called “Know and Show”
∗ Our curriculum maps were created which gives students practice in
to guide teachers to cover all eligible multiple choice questions similar to
content prior to the PSSA’s. those on the PSSA’s. Its game for-
mat and the promise of stickers
∗ Schools have either Coach or Buckle entice students to play.
Down books that give students the
opportunity to practice the eligible ∗ The state provides recently re-
content and become familiar with leased questions, another resource
the test format. that teachers use to help students
practice both test-taking skills and
∗ For the ten weeks prior to the test, content knowledge.
students who can most benefit are
given the option of attending small ∗ Our many creative teachers have
group tutoring sessions before used effective homemade re-
school once a week. The tutors use sources, such as “Jeopardy” and
Progress Coach books, which have a “Are You Smarter Than a 5th
lower readability level than the Grader” games to review content
Coach books used in the classrooms. prior to the tests.
∗ Our students take a diagnostic test We aim for our students to be well pre-
called 4-Sight in October and Janu- pared and relaxed once test-taking
ary. Results of those tests help time rolls around.
teachers plan their instruction so
M a t h P r e p f o r G r a d e s 6 - 11
In preparation for the PSSA’s this year, For grades six, seven, eight and eleven,
we analyzed data from last year’s test practice PSSA tests were sent to teach-
that our eleventh graders took. From ers so they could review with their stu-
that, we determined the probability of dents the questions that have appeared
students scoring advanced or proficient on past PSSA tests. Also teachers were
by course taken. We then targeted the sent countdown-to-testing documents
courses that were most in need of inter- for general math, pre-Algebra, Algebra
vention and scheduled those classes to 1, Geometry and Algebra 2 that they
take the CDT’s in high school mathe- can use to review for standardized
matics. The CDT is a diagnostic test tests. This is in addition to the mathe-
that helps identify areas in which a stu- matics probes used in grades six to
dent may need help. Also, at the high eleven, which can monitor a student’s
school the fifteen days prior to the test progress in the five content areas of
were set aside to focus on the material mathematics: numbers and operations,
that would be covered on the PSSA’s in measurement, geometry, algebraic con-
mathematics. cepts and data analysis.

7. Vo l u m e 2 , I s s u e 2 Page 7
Playing a musical instrument significantly enhances the
Music K-12 brainstem’s sensitivity to speech sounds. This relates to
encoding skills involved with music and language. Ex-
perience with music at a young age can “fine-tune” the brain’s auditory system. – from
a study supported by Northwestern University, which appeared in April 2007 Nature
Neuroscience. The process of language development through “decoding” is paralleled
in music reading. Students are learning an entirely new notational system and are
applying the concepts of directional reading, spatial relationships and aural process-
ing to the reading and performing of music. They are discriminating between the
written notation of music and their aural perception of the performance.
Music synthesizes many math concepts through the use of an alternate system for rep-
resenting values, proportions, and numbers. Students must use their knowledge of
proportions, estimation and values in the performance of music. For instance, when
students read a short notational passage, they need to decipher the length of time a
note is played, the pitch to generate on their voice or instrument and possibly the writ-
ten text to sing for that note. A song is then created through continuing this process at
split second intervals. Students are using spatial, visual and cognitive domains to sing
a “simple” song such as “Frere Jacques”. Music is a room of high level thinking and
association for students to apply the concepts which are evaluated via the PSSA.
“The arts are not just affective and expressive. They are also deeply cognitive. They
develop the tools of thinking itself: careful observation of the world, mental represen-
tation of what is observed or imagined, abstraction from complexity, pattern recogni-
tion and development, symbolic and metaphoric representation, and qualitative judg-
ment. We use these same thinking tools in science, philosophy, math and history. The
advantage of the arts is that they link cognitive growth to social and emotional devel-
opment. Students care more deeply about what they study, they see the links between
subjects and their lives, their thinking capacities grow, they work more diligently, and
they learn from each other.” -- Nick Rabkin, Executive Director of the Center for Arts
Policy, “The Art of Education Success”, Washington Post, January 8, 2005, pg. A19
Professional Development
Researchers Mortimer and Sammons re-
ported in 1987 that that teaching had 6 to 10 times as much impact on achievement as
all other factors combined. With this in mind, professional development in
Neshaminy is focused on improving student achievement by enhancing instruction.
Research has identified many instructional strategies that increase student learning.
This research from a spectrum of authors has been incorporated into our workshops
for new teachers and established staff. Essentially the focus is on designing instruc-
tion that centers on student learning.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education supports classroom teachers with re-
sources to support instruction. This link: http://www.pdesas.org/Instruction/Index/
connects to instructional strategies documents and videos that are proven to increase
student achievement. The Bucks County IU provides workshops for county teachers
with nationally recognized speakers. Carol Tomlinson, the guru on differentiated in-
struction, is scheduled to speak this April and Neshaminy teachers will be in atten-
dance. The IU also provides webinars so teachers can participate in professional Bucks County IU presents
learning from their homes.
Carol Tomlinson speaking on
As teachers utilize research-based strategies focused on improving student achieve-
ment, Neshaminy students benefit. In recent years, a major focus has been placed on Defensible Differentiation
using Before, During, and After (BDAs) reading strategies to improve comprehension.
These strategies are used in classrooms across all content areas. Neshaminy has April 26, 2012
joined with Penn Literacy to provide graduate level courses on campus to give teach-
ers greater access to new instructional activities. It is the goal of the C & I Department
to provide access to research-based practices to all teachers to increase student
achievement not only on the PSSA, but on all standardized testing.

8. Page 8
Curriculum Connections
Science
Over the past four years, Neshaminy’s in the inquiry science program. In addi-
science program has been re-positioning tion, this year, teachers will be provided
itself to improve student achievement in with PSSA preparation warm-ups to be
science as measured on the PSSA in Sci- given at the beginning of class the
ence. month prior to the administration of the
exams. These short (5- to 10-minute)
At the elementary level four exercises will allow teachers an opportu-
years ago, inquiry-based science nity to review science process and con-
kits were adopted for use in kin- tent skills accumulated throughout a
dergarten through fifth grade. These kits student’s academic career.
focus on the overall theme of reasoning
and analysis. Additionally, each kit tar- With the shift at the high school
gets one of the three fields of science level from the PSSA Science
(physical, biological, and earth space sci- exams to Keystone Biology
ence.) Student achievement levels of 88- exam, the focus has been on
90% proficiency and/or advanced on the evaluating our current biology curricu-
PSSA science exams at the elementary lum and piloting the Biology Compre-
level over the past four years have veri- hensive Diagnostic Test to measure
fied the effectiveness of this program. growth towards student readiness to
pass these new exams. In addition,
At the middle school level, the teachers in eleventh grade will also be
same inquiry-based kit program reviewing the accumulated process and
was adopted in sixth grade. Stu- content skills acquired by the students
dents now in eighth grade will throughout their academic career prior
have had at least two years of experience to the PSSA test.
Social Studies
Social studies is an integral part of pre- critical reading skills. Historical analy-
paring for the PSSA writing and PSSA sis and interpretation abilities are fos-
reading. Although it is not a targeted tered during the social studies classes
test area, social studies classes and and enables the student to:
skills better enable our students to suc-
ceed. Of the four areas in social studies, ∗ Compare and contrast differing sets of
ideas
history stands in the front when one
considers preparedness for the reading ∗ Consider perspectives of others
and writing PSSA. “After English, his-
tory is the subject that should involve ∗ Analyze cause and effect relationships
the most reading and writing.” (Brodie,
Laura. http://www.psychologytoday.com/ ∗ Draw comparisons between different
blog/love-in-time-homeschooling/201005/ time periods and different cultures
standardized-testing-what-happens-history-0 )
∗ Evaluate competing historical interpre-
tations through documentation and
Neshaminy social studies teachers are proof.
well versed in many reading and literacy
strategies and employ them often in the Recently, a review of PSSA writing
classrooms. Whether it is by text, pri- prompts by members of the Neshaminy
mary document, data table, chart or Curriculum Department showed that
graph, students are challenged to read many of the prompts were dependant
and interpret information and present on a student’s ability to compare and
the new information in a clear and con- contrast across times and cultures.
cise manner. This background information is gained
through the social studies. Thus, social
The study of history develops specific studies not only supports our state test-

9. Vo l u m e 2 , I s s u e 2 Page 9
Te c h n o l o g y E d u c a t i o n
The Technology and Engi- cation department tries fiction readings into the
neering Education Depart- to model a truly inte- courses. Students do not
ment serves as an oppor- grated STEM curricu- frequently get the oppor-
tunity for the real world lum. In this curricular tunity to experience tech-
application of much of the philosophy science, nical readings, but the
PSSA assessable content. technology, engineering, Technology and Engi-
The most obvious test tie and math coincide in a neering Education envi-
in occurs in the Science seamless fashion just as ronment is the perfect
PSSA. The State Standards it does in the real world. setting for this.
are identified for Science, In such an environment,
Technology, and Engi- The Technology and En-
students are expected to
neering. While a majority gineering Education De-
utilize mathematic prin-
of the test focuses on the cipals found in theirpartment will continue to
Science strand, assess- coursework. Teachers focus on providing the
ment anchors for the test try to align the mathreal world application of
can be found across all science and math con-
skills needed or used in
three content areas. There cepts. As students get the
a project with what the
are questions that serve to students are doing inopportunity to apply their
quantify a student's knowledge, their depth of
their class as an effort to
knowledge in technology knowledge will grow and
reinforce the learning.
and the designed world. should provide positive
Finally, Technology and results on their testing.
Additionally, the Technol- Engineering Education
ogy and Engineering Edu- classes implement non-
Wo r l d L a n g u a g e s
Do we want our stu- cantly”(Armstrong & The early levels of lan-
dents to have an ed- Rogers 1997; Saunders guage study show sen-
vantage when taking 1998; Masciantonio tence structure, talk
standardized test? If 1977; Rafferty 1986; about word derivation
that is truly our goal, all Andrade 1989; Kret- and ask students to relate
students should have the schmer & Kretschmer concepts and roots to
opportunity to study an- 1989). English. As students
other language because it continue their studies,
expands their cultural The study of another more reading and writing
awareness and improves language should not be strategies are employed,
cognitive function. As limited to a college re- such as citing evidence
cited in NEA research quirement, but should from text, making infer-
from December, 2007, be mandated to graduate ences and comparing and
“Strong evidence shows all-around, academically contrasting. Language
that time spent on foreign motivated world citi- students read both fiction
language study strongly zens. Students who and non-fiction stories
reinforces the core subject study another language, and are asked to identify
areas of reading, English especially one with a main ideas, paraphrase Spanish class @ NHS
language literacy, social Latin root, have a posi- and summarize events.
studies and math. Foreign tive advantage when They are also exposed to
language learners consis- reading and writing world geography, cul-
tently outperform control English. Every World tures and events. Study-
groups in core subject ar- Language class works ing a world language is a
eas on standardized tests, with vocabulary, writing positive impetus to a suc-
often signif i- and reading skills and cessful academic career.
grammatical structures.

10. The Curriculum, Assessment & Instruction Team
Director of C, A & I—Dr. Geeta Heble
Art—Cheryl Soltis Math, Elementary—Shelley Rosen
Business—Gerry Abramson Math, Secondary—Mike Thompson
EAP/Data Overseer—Mary Beth Tecce Music & Summer Fine Arts— Nicole Dinkins
Family & Consumer Science— Kelly Macauley Professional Development—Sue Weber
Health & PE, Wellness, Summer Adventure— Science—Brian Suter
Jan King Social Studies—Dave Heaney
Instructional Technology—Dan Winter Technology Education—Josh Elliot
Language Arts & Reading, Elementary—Dory World Languages—Nancy Kerr
Fitzgerald, Terri Magerr, Mary Beth Tecce
Administrative Support— Susan Freedman,
Language Arts, Secondary—Mary O’Pella Kathy Giambelluca, Lily Lewandowski
Library Science—Sue Flanly
Providing extra learning experiences Dreambox
at home can help students achieve http://www.dreambox.com/
TECHNOLOGY TIPS success. In using educational websites
Practice makes Perfect…or at least A fun math-learning environment
and software, parents can help rein-
helps! that individualizes the curriculum
force learning and help prepare a
for each student as the program
child for taking the PSSA’s.
assesses the student’s skills during
Educational websites and apps fall engaging math activities.
into several categories. There are drill
Khan Academy
and practice, tutorial, simulation, http://www.khanacademy.org/
problem solving, and utility type pro-
grams and websites. We have gath- Khan Academy is a non-profit
ered several different websites and video channel with over 2,500 vid-
apps that can be used to help foster eos covering topics ranging from
academic achievement. These useful high school math and science to
websites and apps are only a small banking and venture capital. Khan
sample of what is available online and Academy is also available on iOS
in the App store. devices.
Quia
http://www.quia.com/shared/
Story Kit
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/
A Games and quizzes website created storykit/id329374595?mt=8
Nes ha mi n y
by educators on almost any topic. Stu- Story Kit allows you to create your
S c h o o l D i s t r i c t dent’s can play an educational game of own stories, complete with pic-
battleship on science terms or quiz tures. Add text boxes, images and
their knowledge of social studies con- sound clips. Record sounds for
cepts in rags to riches. your stories, and add, reorder or
Curriculum, Assessment & Instruction
2001 Old Lincoln Highway Quizlet delete your pages. Add pictures by
Langhorne, PA 19047 http://quizlet.com/ drawing on the screen, taking a pic-
ture of something, or drawing
Phone: 215-809-6550 Quizlet is a flash cards and study something on paper and taking a
Fax: 215-809-6004 games website with over 10 million picture of it! There are lots of great
E-mail: gheble@neshaminy.k12.pa.us free sets of flashcards covering every creative options here to allow stu-
possible subject. Students can play dents to create stories right on
educational games, memorize vocabu- their iPod Touch.
lary and study online. With the use of
“Flashcards” on an iOS device, flash-
cards can be uploaded from Quizlet.