Hello Wiley Family! I hope you and your family had a wonderful weekend.
WISE Time at Wiley
This year at Wiley, all staff and students participate in a four day a week, 30 minute, focused instructional time period we call WISE (Where Intellect and creative Success is Exceptional). In addition to regular class time, we use WISE to deliver direct enrichment and/or intervention to all students in a way that boost their achievement opportunities.
Key elements of WISE are:
*In previous years at Wiley and at most elementary schools this time was/is called "team time".
*This structure is an instructional practice used across the country to support students' academic growth.
*Monday and Tuesday WISE is dedicated to math and Wednesday and Thursday is dedicated to reading (with exceptions for some students with disabilities).
*WISE time offers a small group setting for instruction due to the amount of staff and volunteers providing instruction at one time. This allows staff to more narrowly focus on individual students' needs.
*There are generally 14 staff members serving 140 students in each WISE period. Groups vary from 3 kids to 20 kids.
*The groups that students are in during WISE time change 3-4 times a quarter based on assessments. This allows teachers the chance to check on student understanding then narrowly focus their instruction based on the student's needs. Think about it this way--a soccer coach monitors practice and the game and then makes adjustments to improve her players and her coaching.
*All students get enrichment, remediation, and "just right" instruction during all of their classes at Wiley. This is called differentiated instruction and is an integral part of the instructional day.
*Students that need remediation or special education services, get that during WISE time (with a few exceptions) so they do not miss any instruction, electives, or foreign language to receive extra help.
*Students that need enrichment get that during WISE time so they do not miss any instruction, electives, or foreign language to receive that support.
*Kindergarten through third grade students receive enrichment from a variety of staff members (including the AIG teacher) and volunteers. Formal identification for AIG (academically/intellectually gifted) occurs in WCPSS AIG at the end of third grade.
*Fourth and fifth grade students that are formally identified as AIG (academically/intellectually gifted) receive their "pull out" services during WISE. We are able to offer 60 minutes of services a week in reading and math, which is more than the allotted time by WCPSS AIG. During first quarter, these students have learned about critical thinking strategies, statistics during math, and the election during reading.
At Wiley, we value individual learning and growth to develop global citizenship. We are proud to not only do so during our general curriculum time, but also in small groups during WISE. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to let us know! You can contact your child's teacher or Ms. McMahon at kmcmahon@wcpss.net or in her office at 919-856-7726.
Report Cards Today
Don't forget to review your child's report card today. Let your teacher know if you would like a conference by checking the report card cover. Elective and language report cards will go home December 3.
Holiday Food Drive Need
We will begin our holiday food drive after Thanksgiving. However, while the sales are good at the grocery store-stock up to help Wiley families! We will take non-perishable, non-glass contained food beginning the Monday after Thanksgiving.
Middle School Magnet Tours
All WCPSS magnet middle schools are open for tours Wednesday, Nov. 14 at 9am and 12pm. Find out more at the WCPSS Magnet website.
Wiley PTA Updates
Are you interested in creating a healthier environment at Wiley for all students and for staff? We are currently recruiting parents and staff members for the PTA's Healthy Lifestyles Committee. This will be our first year to have an active Healthy Lifestyles Committee, and chair Anna Stein is excited to get the committee underway. Anna has a particular interest in using policy and environmental change to improve children's health and, in turn, their educational achievement. Please let Anna know if you would like to join this committee or if you would like to hear some of her specific ideas for the school year. Her email address is annastein@nc.rr.com and her phone number is 919-834-1152. Thanks so much!
Phantom Fundraiser
Thank you for your support of all Wiley PTA programs and events through the Phantom! If you have not donated to the Phantom yet, please consider making a donation today. Make sure you check out the flyer in your child's Monday folder for more details.
