Department of Student Success (DSS)

The Department of Student Success, (DSS), provides structured opportunities for students to reach their academic and social potential. We implement data-driven, research based assessments and interventions to support all of our students. We partner with parents, staff and students through a team approach that focuses on consultation, direct service, observation, analysis and assessment. We seek to challenge all of our students to help them identify and build upon their personal gifts and talents.

DSS Includes:

* Gifted Education & Enrichment - Enrichment for students who need more challenge in specific areas. Advance Learning Plans (ALP)

* Special Education Testing and Services - Individualized Education Plans (IEP)

* English as a Second Language (ESL)

* Support for Parents - Do you want information or materials to work on at home? Your classroom teacher has great ideas and we are also available to help you. If you have a concern regarding your child, do not hesitate to call or email. We can work with you and your classroom teacher to find a solution.

Pre-K - 4th grade - DSS Director & Learning Specialist

4th - 8th grade - DSS Director & Learning Specialist

Special Education & IEP Plans

Mental Health Team

Matt Trowbridge

School: 720-467-5363 ext. 7247

Moe Ellison

School: 720-467-5363 ext. 7297

Krystal Jones

School: 303-467-5363 ext. 7240

Speech & Language

Occupational Therapy

504 Plans

English Language Learning (ELL)

Advanced Learning Plans

Karen Dwyer

School: 720-467-5363 ext. 7221

Advanced Learning Plans

Bright and Gifted at Lincoln Academy

The mission of Lincoln Academy is to help students attain their highest social and academic potential through an academically rigorous, content-rich educational program in a safe, orderly, and caring environment. At Lincoln Academy, we make every effort to provide opportunities to enrich your child’s learning both through classroom enrichment and activities outside of the classroom. Although Lincoln Academy is not a Gifted and Talented school, we recognize there are many bright and gifted students in attendance. We strive to meet the needs of these students while maintaining whole group instruction and supporting the philosophical direction of our programming. We accomplish this by following district guidelines on meeting our student's Advanced Learning Plan (ALP) needs, providing a weekly pull-out program for our gifted students, and supporting teachers in the classroom.

Just like every district school in Jefferson County, students at Lincoln Academy with an ALP are monitored throughout the year both by teachers and the ALP coordinators to make sure each student has opportunities to meet their required goal(s). Some students have multiple strengths identified by an ALP, which might qualify them for attendance at a Jeffco Gifted and Talented Center School. These schools are geared towards highly gifted students and instruction involves acceleration, enrichment, and attention to affective needs. Not all students with an ALP qualify for GT Center School Placement; these guidelines are established by the district.

We do everything we can, within the academic structure of Lincoln Academy, to meet the needs of all students. For more information in regards to Advanced Learning Plans, GT Center Schools, or enrichment provided by Lincoln Academy, please contact our ALP coordinator.

GT/ALP/Enrichment Links

Jeffco Gifted and Talented Page

Explanation of ALPs

Math Games

Center for Bright Kids

Destination Imagination

Jefferson County Assoc. for Gifted Children

Colorado Assoc. for Gifted and Talented

National Association for Gifted Children

Social-Emotional Needs of the Gifted

Literacy

K-2nd Literacy

These are some of the activities we are working on in small literacy groups. Exact activities will be targeted toward the needs of the specific students in the group.

Kindergarten

August - December

Phonemic Awareness

- First Sound Fluency: "What is the first sound in /dog/? >> Child responds /d/

- Segmenting CVC Words: "What are the sounds in cat?" >> Students tap c/a/t

Letter Recognition & Letter Sounds

Sight Words

Writing

- Handwriting > Letter formation (top>down), proper pencil grip

January - May

These are some of the activities we are working on in small literacy groups.

Phonemic Awareness - Continued review

Read CVC Words (Consonant/Vowel/Consonant)

- Letter Recognition & Letter Sounds - Completed in the context of a word

- Phonemic Fluency - Rhyming Activities with word families

- Move from C/V/C sounding to final rhyme sounding

- Phonemic Fluency - Reading words with the same beginning and ending sound,

Write CVC Words

Sight Words & Sentence Formation

1st Grade

Open Court Readers:

- Reading Books with controlled phonics patterns >> Review patterns from class

- Sight word recognition in context

95% Group: Research-based curriculum which works on phonic patterns.

- Phonemic Awareness

- Sorting word cards for specific phonic patterns > Multi-sensory

- Read phonetically regular words in phrases

- Read passages with phonetically controlled sounds

- Word Writing

- Students are asked to write words with specific vowel patterns

Wilson Reading Systems: Research-based curriculum which works on phonic patterns.

- Systematic teaching of sounds and spelling patterns

- Word Reading - to practice those sounds in words

- Sentence Reading - with controlled vocabulary and sounds

- Passage Reading - with controlled vocabulary

Sight Word Review

Students read words in a group for additional practice.

- Words with similar patterns are compared: (he, she, the, we, be, me -- could, would, should)

- Words with irregular sounds are targeted (for example: “said” sounds like /s/e/d/.)

Read Naturally - Reading prediction, fluency practice, phonics, answering questions:

- Students write a simple, guided prediction regarding what the passage might be about.

- Rhyming “word families” are targeted at the beginning of the year

- Reading sight words in context

- Non-fiction text not controlled for the phonic pattern.

- Reading Comprehension & Vocabulary

2nd Grade

Phonics, Reading Fluency, Vocabulary & Comprehension

95% Group: Research-based curriculum which works on phonic patterns.

- Phonemic Awareness

- Sorting word cards for specific phonic patterns > Multi-sensory

- Read phonetically regular words in phrases

- Read passages with phonetically controlled sounds

- Word Writing

- Students are asked to write words with specific vowel patterns

Wilson Reading Systems: Research-based curriculum which works on phonic patterns.

- Systematic teaching of sounds and spelling patterns

- Word Reading - to practice those sounds in words

- Sentence Reading - with controlled vocabulary and sounds

- Passage Reading - with controlled vocabulary

Quick Reads & 6-Minute Solutions:

- Nonfiction passages on a variety of topics

- Many words are repeated in the passage. This word repetition makes the passage easier to read.

- Repeated words a student can read without sounding them out.

Read Naturally - Reading prediction, fluency practice, phonics, answering questions:

- Students write a prediction regarding what the passage might be about.

- Students read the passage - An emphasis is placed on reading with fluency, good phrasing, pausing for punctuation, and seeking meaning

- Students read and answer questions relating to the passage

- Students write a summary of what they have read.

3rd-4th Literacy

Small Literacy Groups maximize student learning for those who need extra practice on specific skills. DSS Team members work 4 days a week with small groups of students for a 30-minute period. During this workshop time, students that remain in the classroom work on specific tasks in small groups as well. New material will not be introduced during this time, so no make-up work is required by those who are pulled by the DSS team.

The targeted groups work on specific skills which vary depending upon the needs and grade level of the student.

Students are placed in groups based on individual screening assessments, teacher observations, work completed in class, and parent concerns.

These groups are flexible and fluid! Students may be moved from one group to another based on need at any time during the year.

Reading Skills Worked on in group:

-Reading Fluency
-Comprehension
-Vocabulary
-Oral Retell
-Inferencing, Predicting

Writing Skills Worked on in group:

-Writing Stamina
-Writing organization and planning
-Summarizing
-Paragraph writing (topic sentence, details, concluding sentence)
-Spelling

Additional Skills:

In third and fourth grade groups, we work on previewing and reviewing concepts learned within the classroom, including CORE content. Each group is determined based on student needs and activities are planned and implemented to coincide with these skills.