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WFBMS prides itself on the high academic standards and supportive environment that fosters student success. The staff works diligently to provide students with instructional strategies and academic supports for all learners. These support opportunities are critical in helping students secure the necessary skills to be successful with their grade level requirements. A key component for success in the following support programs is the relationship between home and school.
Reading Support
Reading support is a supplementary class for students needing specialized help with reading skills. Students receive small group reading comprehension instruction in content area material as well as literature. Also included are vocabulary development, fluency practice, word attack skills instruction and practice, and test taking strategies and preparation work. Students are placed in the course following a review of reading specialist administered test scores and grade level academic progress.
Math Support
In addition to the regular mathematics classroom instruction, students receive instruction on the basic factual and functional math skills. Students may be placed in math support based on teacher recommendation, classroom performance, and testing results.
Support Study Hall
The purpose is to help students develop independent study and organizational skills. Students are expected to record assignments and complete them on time. In addition, students will be closely monitored and assisted while getting started on the following day's assignments. Students may also use the period to clean and organize materials in their binders and lockers, meet with content area teachers, and study for upcoming quizzes or tests. Placement in support study hall is through referral by a teacher, parent, or a guidance counselor. Support study hall is most successful when parents check and sign the assignment notebook on a daily basis.
ELL – English Language Learners
It is the policy of the district that an ELL program will be implemented for the students identified as English Language Learners. Upon enrollment, if the student's primary language is other than English, the district will administer the Language Assessment Scales (LAS) to assess English proficiency. The LAS measures those English skills necessary for functioning in a mainstream academic environment. The degree of curriculum modification, the duration and type of ELL program will be determined individually and be based on student need.
PST - Problem Solving Team
Whitefish Bay Schools value timely, comprehensive support systems to ensure the success of every student. Working within Wisconsin’s RtI Framwork (Response to Intervention) students receive multi-level support at varying levels of intensity based on student responsiveness to instruction and intervention.
During weekly grade-level team meetings, teachers share observations of student performance, needs, and achievement. If the grade-level team feels as though students require more coordinated, intense support, an intervention form will be created. The PST (Problem Solving Team) will then meet to determine the research-based practices to be implemented to best meet the needs of the child.
The Problem Solving Team will serve to:
- Discuss ideas to meet the needs of children about whom teachers are concerned
- Assign a teacher mentor/advocate to the student
- Document and communicate individual student intervention plans to staff, student and parent/guardians
- Monitor the implementation and success of feasible ideas suggested and tried
- Ensure the transition of recommendations/modifications to the next grade level
- Support classroom teachers in providing modifications for individual students
- Utilize data to make informed decisions if a change of placement is necessary
The Problem-Solving Team:
Principal, Associate Principal, Guidance Counselors, School Psychologist, Instructional Resource Coordinator. Additional teachers and support staff are included based on the needs of the child.
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