Running head: INTERVENTION

Intervention
Rachel F. Ritacco
University of New England













INTERVENTION

Intervention
The mission of Martin Kellogg Middle School (MKMS) in Newington,
Connecticut states that Martin Kellogg Middle School supports all students as they grow
towards becoming independent, lifelong learners in our ever-changing world. (Martin Kellogg
Middle School, 2011) The mission goes on to state that in order to promote student growth that
students, parents, staff and the community work together to create a safe, caring and
challenging learning environment. (Martin Kellogg Middle School, 2011) As I read chapter 10
of Dufour et al. (2008), I was really proud to find that the interventions we have in place strive to
model the research presented in the chapter.
Students are identified in a number of different ways. Initial data stems from the
Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT) from the previous school year. Additionally, students undergo
a battery of common formative assessments. These assessments include and are not limited to the
Rally comprehension test, MAZE tests, Degrees of Reading Power test, editing and revising
tests, AIMSweb math computation tests, AIMSweb concepts and application tests. Further tests
may be administered if the instructor feels they need further data. With a combination of the
results from these assessments and the students classroom achievement identify the student for
intervention. As Dufour et al. (2008) stressed, the priority is to identify the specific area of need
that the students have and the area that has the highest yield is focused on first. Those essential
skills and concepts are identified so that this instructional time outside of the classroom is
validated.
Every student must learn! It is my job as the classroom teacher to make sure that my
lessons are tailored to the students and additional opportunities are given in flexible grouping for
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those that do not meet mastery on the first attempt. If a student is identified as needing greater
assistance than what can be provided in a tier one support in the classroom, there are a number of
avenues that student may follow. As Dufour et al. (2008) stated, the only way student
achievement may be positively impacted is through the interdependent relationships among
educators. Students need at MKMS is well managed by a community of educators. The
frequency students are pulled from the classroom and focus depends on the need. Students that
are not in special education that score below basic and basic in reading are immediately placed in
a tier-three intervention with a reading specialist. They would meet with the reading specialist
every day and use scientifically-researched intervention strategies to develop skills that are of
need. Certified teachers that are hired in the learning tutor capacity meet with small groups
throughout the building to provide tier-two support. If the need is reading fluency, students may
be pulled to use the Reading Naturally program. If the student needs assistance in
comprehension, they also will meet in a small group for tier-two support. Students who struggle
in math meet in a small group that is focused on their areas of weakness that are identified by the
AIMSweb probes. Progress is monitored using MAZE and AIMSweb computation tests each
week. The data on these students is kept on a program that charts their progress. At this time, we
do not have any formalized tier-two or three intervention for any other academic area or
behavior. This is a weakness in our intervention course of action.
The greatest success could be seen with our students receiving the tier-three support.
Those students have the farthest to move towards goal and with this intense instruction and
attention, they make much greater than the expected annual yearly progress. In 2010, the seven
sixth graders that were receiving tier-three intervention were exited from that level of support by
making goal on the CMT. Other students in tier-two intervention are closer to goal and their
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progress is typically in smaller increments but the ultimate goal is to get them closer to or at
goal.
Additionally, there is already a process in our school to help identify collective student
needs. These needs are discussed in other forums within our school and district. With an addition
to our PLC, Community of Practice (COP), we have in place instructional data teams. There are
three tiers to the instructional data teams. All grades meet with a grade level data team that
addresses trends in data that we see as a whole grade level. In addition, there is a school-wide
instructional data team that addresses trends that that they see in the whole school. Furthermore,
there is a district-wide instructional data team that analyzes district data and provides
information that will help drive decisions about professional development needs. Great work has
already come from these data teams. The grade level team is currently addressing a problem of
practice in regards to student responses to open-ended questions. The school wide data team has
helps monitor the students that are in intervention and identify whether the current programs
used in intervention are meeting the needs of the students. As our mission states, we truly do
work as a community to ensure that every child is successful.






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Reference
Dufour, R., Dufour, R., & Eaker, R. (2008). Revisiting professional learning communities at
work. [S.l.]: Solution Tree, Llc.
Martin Kellogg middle school. (2011). Retrieved December 12, 2012, from
http://www.mk.npsct.org/