Posts by Compass PD, LLC
Planning and Expanding Summer Programs Part 1- Don’t Let Students Fall Behind: How to Select and Invite Families to Summer Programs
By Dr. Sherri Lorton For school administrators, summer programs offer a vital opportunity to support students who need additional academic help, enrichment opportunities, or credit recovery. Whether launching a new program or expanding an existing one, careful planning and coordination across multiple departments are essential for success. This guide provides key strategies for selecting students,…
Read MoreWhy Self-Selected Reading Matters: Building Lifelong Readers in Secondary Schools
By Nicole Leachman One of the greatest problems that secondary English teachers face is how to help students have purposeful and meaningful interactions with literature. One of the best ways to accomplish this is by incorporating self-selected, independent reading into the classroom culture. What are a few of the benefits of self-selected reading? It’s important…
Read MoreEveryone is a Math Person: Yes, Even You!
By Dr. Sherri Lorton and Constance Hallemeier How many times have you heard someone say, “I’m just not a math person “ or “I’m not good at math”? Maybe you’ve even said it yourself. But what if we told you that’s a myth? Research shows that mathematical ability isn’t innate–it’s developed. Mathematics isn’t about being…
Read MoreCoaching with Heart (and a Side of Chocolate)
By Dr. Stephanie Brenner If you have spent time as an instructional coach, you have probably found yourself in moments that go far beyond lesson plans, data analysis, or pedagogy. One minute, you were discussing a lesson, and the next, you were comforting a teacher whose eyes welled up with tears. In those moments, you…
Read MoreMid-Year Momentum: Reenergizing School Leaders for Success
By Dr. Bridgett Niedringhaus So, it’s that time of year when we are coming off a high… Christmas break and New Year’s celebrations, and for some of us, especially in the Midwest, we got an extra week of vacation due to snow. As an administrator, you reflect on what was accomplished during the first semester…
Read MoreUnderstanding, Celebrating, Fostering: Commemorating Black History Month with Purpose and Impact
By Dr. Matt VanHorn “Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.” – Booker T. Washington, author and politician Having served in the classroom for over the past twenty years, this quote reminds me…
Read MoreFrom Overwhelmed to Aligned: Building a Data-Driven Curriculum Cycle
By Dr. Carrie Hepburn and Dr. Sherri Lorton Introduction: Why Data Matters in Curriculum Decisions Educational leaders face a myriad of challenges when trying to ensure high-quality learning for every student. Yet, a common thread in successful districts is the intentional use of data to guide decisions. From state assessments and federal requirements to classroom…
Read MoreAssess, Analyze, Adjust: Using Mid-Year Data to Drive Student Growth
By Dr. Natalie Fallert It is January, and many secondary teachers have just finished their semester finals or are getting ready to give them. For middle school teachers, if you didn’t offer a mid-year content exam, you are probably embarking on some universal screener1 like STAR, i-Ready, AIMSweb, etc. Hopefully, you are using the data…
Read MoreSetting the Stage for Success: Goal Setting in the Secondary Math Classroom
By Constance Hallemeier Research consistently demonstrates the power of mastery-oriented goals in fostering deep learning, motivation, and student growth. Still, no one teaches educators how to set, monitor, or maintain those goals, especially in content-based classrooms. In my years of practice in secondary mathematics, I have learned that effective goal setting is more than just…
Read MoreUnlocking Early Math Success: The Power of Subitizing in the Classroom
By Dr. Sherri Lorton Subitizing—the ability to instantly recognize the number of objects in a small group without counting—is a foundational skill in early mathematics education. This cognitive process enables children to perceive quantities rapidly, fostering number sense and setting the stage for more complex mathematical reasoning Understanding Subitizing Derived from the Latin word subitus,…
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