NIFDI is happy to congratulate the Core Knowledge® Charter School (CKCS) on the occasion of their 20th anniversary as a public charter school serving kindergarten through eighth grade. Located in Verona, Wisconsin CKCS is the longest running and most successful implementation of DI in the state. Chris Uelmen, K-8 Curriculum Coordinator/DI Coach, has been the sole onsite coordinator since the school was granted its charter in 1996. When asked about factors that have contributed to the success of the school, she pointed to two things; DI and Core Knowledge are specifically listed in their charter as the instructional programs to be used; and high teacher retention. Of the 12 elementary classroom teachers on staff, 5 are 20-year veterans of DI and 9 of the 12 elementary teachers have been teaching at CKCS for at least 10 years. Chris states, "Once you understand the (DI) theory behind why you do what you do, it enhances longevity!"

The school utilizes Reading Mastery Signature Edition (Reading and Language strands), Connecting Math Concepts Comprehensive Edition in grades K-5. As measured by the Wisconsin State Report Card, CKCS students rated 80% (exceeds expectations) compared to a state level of 67.1%. Individual subject test results report a similar level of performance. Classrooms are described as high-energy and engaging for all students. Each year there is a waiting list, which unfortunately doesn't get cleared due to school size and the popularity of the school. There is hope that the district will allow them to expand in both enrollment and building space so they can serve more students in this Madison suburb.

A testimony to the impression the school has made on the approximately 900 students that have gone through the school is that this year an alum returned to CKCS as a first grade and resource teacher.

A celebration is planned for January 16, 2016. There will be alumni speakers, presentation of the time capsule, a silent auction and a goal of raising funds for an endowment. NIFDI wishes the staff and students at Core Knowledge® Charter School a happy anniversary and best wishes for continued success! If you would like to offer your congratulations, send an email to Principal Rick Kisting at Rick.Kisting@verona.k12.wi.us 

We have added two series of publications to the NIFDI Research web page. The first is NIFDI White Papers, which provide summaries of the literature related to Direct Instruction and analysis and commentary on contemporary issues in education. They can be found at http://nifdi.org/research/recent-research/whitepapers. The second is a group of subject area bibliographies, several of which include extensive abstracts (http://nifdi.org/research/di-bibliographies/subject-area-bibliographies). We are also in the process of adding a large number of abstracts of articles related to Reading Mastery to our searchable data base.

Also of note, the Education Consumers Foundation recently released an important policy paper on the key role of teacher training in educational reform: http://education-consumers.org/misdirected-teaching-failed-reform. Authored by Dr. John Stone, the paper analyzes the way in which higher education, by promoting theories with little any empirical evidence, has harmed generations of school children. We found the argument compelling and think that many of you will as well. 

An effective coach will help DI teachers evolve from technicians to engineers of instruction. To help equip you to help others in this evolution, NIFDI's two popular Coaching Academies will be held in Arlington Heights, Illinois this fall.

On October 15 & 16, we will present Coaching I-Analyzing & Responding to Student Performance Data. Through demonstrations, practice and hands-on activities, participants will learn how to:

• Gain meaningful information from lesson progress and in-program mastery data.
• Model how to improve written records.
• Conduct supportive classroom observations and demonstrations aimed at increasing student success.
• Provide effective oral and written feedback to instructors to directly impact student performance.
• Design and deliver effective, on-going professional development sessions.

We will return to Arlington Heights November 19 & 20 for Coaching II-Conducting Classroom Observations & Providing Feedback. This session will provide participants with information and practice in:

• Refining observational skills to increase the coach's ability to provide data-driven feedback.
• Facilitating rehearsal sessions.
• Determining the appropriate intervention based on data and observation.
• Facilitating Data Analysis Team meetings to find and solve student performance problems in a timely manner.

The Academy trainer, Tamara Bressi, is an experienced DI teacher, trainer and coach. As an Implementation Manager for NIFDI and an independent consultant, she has provided support to schools implementing DI around the world-from Oregon to Colorado to Australia to Guam and Africa. 

To register, visit us online or call Bryan at 877.485.1973.