ECASD looks at middle school math performance, improvement plans in the district
EAU CLAIRE — For the Eau Claire Area School District, a focus has been on middle school math and continuing challenges with respect to recent state data.
As district administration had a chance to present on what their research tells them about Eau Claire's middle schools to the board, Director of Secondary Programming and Post Secondary Readiness Michelle Radtke said there is a positive trend in relation to state data.
'We are seeing an upward trend in middle school math and we are performing above the state,' she said, as data from the forward exam for Wisconsin middle schools showed ECASD performing with 57.5% of students meeting set benchmarks for the 2023-24 school year, compared to 54.3% at the state level.
But that does not necessarily paint the whole picture, as disaggregated data does show challenges with student groups within the ECASD. A good example of this is students with disabilities; the ECASD results of the forward exam showed roughly 10.1% meeting benchmarks for the 2023-24 school year, compared with an overall 15.0% for the state.
'While the state percentage shows a general upward trend for students with disabilities, ECASD middle schools have experienced some challenges with a declining trend in proficiency percentages,' said Radtke. 'The gap between the district and the state is widening negatively, with the state having a higher percentage of students meeting the benchmark over time.'
That challenge extends to visible gaps in the performance of Asian populations and White populations with performance. Identifying an underlying cause, Radtke said students facing economic disadvantages may have an impact on all demographics of students' performance in math.
'One of the things that we highlighted here is that economic status plays a huge role in a student's outcome in their ability to be successful in math,' she said. 'So what we have to do is figure out the root cause of what resources or tools they need to be successful if they come from a background of economically disadvantaged.'
A major part of that is working on the system as a whole, said Executive Director of Teaching and Learning Mandy Van Vleet.
'As I think about specifically middle school, we need to engage learners at that adolescent level to keep wanting to learn more and engage in math practice,' she said. 'It is kind of a critical age where kids either like math or they don't, and I think the student reps spoke to that. When students get disengaged in middle school, getting them through high school Algebra 1 and Geometry is really challenging. Particularly it is really important for our students to develop good math practice in elementary and also middle school.'
South Middle School Principal Caleb Hundt spoke to work that is being done at one of the district's schools. While South performed with a 61.1% overall on the forward exam, data still showed that the school faced similar challenges that the district as a whole faced when looking at student populations.
'We want to work together to engage kids, we want to ask better questions and we also want to have more teaching and also more learning in more classrooms — more of the time,' said Hundt.
With that focus, Hundt said there are five pillars adopted at South: shared leadership, the art and science of teaching, implementation of avid and PBIS structures (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports), putting in building thinking classrooms, which is a math focus but has been a process for all teachers; and also something called a walkthrough triad where they get to see three other teachers and meet them during their prep time.
For the district as a whole, Radtke said there are three areas which they are focusing on for improvement in regards to middle school math.
'The three areas that we are focusing on as a district for our teachers is creating a guaranteed and viable curriculum, so no matter who teaches it, students have the same outcomes of that curriculum,' she said. 'The second one would be instructional delivery, which is teachers using strategies to effectively create effective environments for our students to learn in for math. And professional learning would be that third one, we keep providing that professional development and collaboration around math for our teachers.
'Our goal is to have all of our systems that support, in this case, a strong math program in place,' said Van Vleet. 'That is what we have been building over the last few years, are systems that support those structures. Whether that is the resources and materials that our teachers are using, improving their practices as instructors in the classroom, providing them with professional learning, providing them opportunities to collaborate with one another and learn from each other, layering on the additional supports like interventions when students are not hitting benchmarks — all of those pieces are part of creating a strong system. That is what we have been working on hard these last few years, is putting those systems in place.'
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Eater
13 hours ago
- Eater
The Chefs' Guide to Chicago's Farmers Markets
It's springtime in Chicago. Not only have we survived the cold, but farmers market season is in full swing. Many neighborhoods have weekday and weekend markets highlighting the work of independent farmers and culinary artisans, whose vegetable, meat, dairy, and seafood quality can outstrip what you can find at a big grocery store. The difference is partly seasonality. If it's not in season, small farms aren't going to force it; there's no need for winter tomatoes in Chicago. The farmers market is a visual education for urbanites into what the seasons look like and the food each season yields. Ramp and chive blossom season in early spring brings opportunities for cooking pastas and light soups with bright alliums, tomato season in summer is best enjoyed with thick slices of heirlooms and flaky salt. Sweet cherries are eaten whole in summer's hottest peak; the spit-out pits should always be composted or replanted, of course. The frantic dog days of summer bring us the gifts of okra: fried, stewed, sauteed with South Asian spices. And fall, when the chill begins to set in, brings the luxury of figs and pomegranate with baked desserts, along with the heartiness of root vegetables and hardy greens like kale, collards, and mustard greens. The temporality of farmers markets is what makes them so beloved by the city's best chefs, who frequent them — and sometimes have stalls there, like Daisies and Verzenay — to find superior products for their customers. Quality comes at a higher price than convenience, but farmers markets are also working on making themselves more accessible and convenient; many, including Green City Market in Lincoln Park, take SNAP/Link cards and triple-match credit so customers can stretch their dollar, and some farms have delivery services if rolling out of bed at 7 a.m. on a Saturday isn't your jam. Markets in the South Side, like 61st Street Market, the El Paseo Community Market, Hyde Park Farmers Market, and Plant Chicago's Mercado De Intercambio are also expanding access to fresh, quality produce to under-served communities. We spoke to chefs around Chicago about their most beloved farmers market items and what they cook with them, and farmers whose work they love: Mick Klüg, Nichols Farm, and Froggy Meadows are classics, while Oriana's (Asian pears, pawpaws, and quince), Joe's Blues (blueberries), and Seedling are known for more specialty items. Latinx-owned Los Rodriguez Farms, Black-owned Growing Home, and Willowbrook Farms are also opportunities to support farmers of color, who are underrepresented. Lamar Moore of Etc. Farmers Market Move: Apples from Growing Home Right now, I'm looking for apples. I love apples in the fall. I used to grow up just eating apples. My grandmother was selling them all the time. In Illinois, we're so close to Michigan, so you get a lot of those farmers that are bringing up those amazing apples, from Pink Lady apples down to the Fujis. We have duck ravioli on the menu, and I do pickled apples on there and apple sorrel ... It gives the ravioli this citrus flavor. I'll make apple compote for our biscuits too. Obviously, Green City has everything. But I try to stick close to South Loop Market because I do find a lot of Black-owned farms that are coming through that way. And 61st Street Market is another good one for that. Justin Lerias of Del Sur Farmers Market Move: Baby corn from Nichols Farm Every summer, Nichols has these tiny little baby corns that I just love to use and bake. It's so soft and you can just eat it with the cob. I think it's more subtle than regular corn, and it's the perfect canvas. Baby corn is so easy to saute and grill to make something exciting. Nichols has lots of miniature versions of vegetables so they have like a baby vegetable art show. I also love their baby eggplants and baby artichokes. Ryan Fakih of Beity Farmers Market Move: Ramps and garlic from Mick Klüg and Froggy Meadows Farm, blueberries and fresh blueberry juice from Joe's Blues I'm excited to start seeing the different colors come out. I'm excited to see life come back from winter to summer. Especially with Lebanese and Arab cuisine, it relies heavily on summer-y produce. That can get difficult because how do you make muhammara, a red pepper dish, if you want it outside of pepper season? Right now, ramps are almost over, but I've been enjoying them. I get mine from Mick Klüg and Four Star Mushroom. I'm excited for anything that comes out of Froggy Meadows; any mushrooms or shallots that Jerry gets, I love. I love Joe's Blues. They're a blueberry farm and they have freshly squeezed blueberry juice. Every visit, I get one. Before I even start the whole walk around the market, I go straight there and get a juice. It shoots up through your blood and wakes you up for the whole trip. For me, the most important part of the farmers market is making sure you're fermenting and pickling the ingredients so it lasts you throughout the year. In Lebanon, we call it mouneh, this fermenting and pickling of items for the winter so you make it through the winter. It's a means of survival and a way that we cherish our plants. In my world, it's beautiful to carry on that history. It's also very sustainable; you're saving food instead of buying more than you can cook and throwing it away. And if you buy garlic from the market, you can plop the bulbs in the soil to grow your own. If you have a garden, you better be gardening. Even when I was living in France and I was in my studio, I'd still grow a bunch of things out of windows and share them with everyone. When we know how to make things for ourselves and share it with others. I think it's a beautiful thing. Diana Dávila of Mi Tocaya Antojeria Farmers Market Move: Melons from Geneva Lakes Produce We get ours from Geneva Lakes Produce — a lovely, hardworking family at Logan Square Farmers Market. We hosted them during the pandemic on our patio. And Los Rodriguez Farm is another lovely family. I also love Seedling and Nichols Farm at Green City. I put onions in everything, so I'd say I'm excited about the allium family. Chiles are also my favorites to get at the farmers market. But I think one of the special things that the Midwest has that doesn't get enough attention is melons. It's one of the only tropical-ish flavors that you can really have here. And I always get them all, but especially rare varietals. Pharaohs in Egypt loved melons, you know? They have pictures of melons, and I think that's so cool. I love watching people's faces when they have actual melons that are grown by small farmers because so much of the fruit that people get at the store is just complete bastards, you know what I mean? Like, some people didn't even know that melons are supposed to have seeds because they make these seedless melons for mass consumption, and that makes other melons have less and less seeds in general. I also buy heritage chicken from farmers markets because I can't stand bullshit chicken, where they rob them of the molecular part of their ingredients with all these chemicals and unnatural practices. But back to melons, once you take them home, you can make agua fresca. It's such a cultural thing for us back in Mexico, making a beautiful, fresh fruit water. You don't need to add sweetener, but you can. I don't really like regular sugar because it's not the best for you. You could use agave or honey. You could use sorghum, you could use beet sugar, you could use maple syrup if you want. The real stuff. And melon is also really good for ceviches. It has all this beautiful water content that lends itself really well to aguachiles. And whatever you get from the market, try pickling it. Erick Williams of Virtue Farmers Market Move: Sorrel, torpedo onions, and root vegetables from Nichols Farm, the South Shore Market, and Bronzeville Boxville Market I love sourcing from Nichols Farm. They consistently offer a wide variety of high-quality, seasonal produce. I also keep an eye out for small-batch growers at the South Shore Market and the Bronzeville Boxville Market, where you often find gems that reflect the flavor and soul of the South Side. Supporting South Side farmers markets is about equity and community investment. These markets not only bring fresh, nutritious food to neighborhoods that need it, but they also support local growers and food entrepreneurs who often don't have the same access to visibility or resources. The produce is just as beautiful, the stories behind the vendors are powerful, and the impact is deeper when we circulate our dollars locally. We need to uplift all of Chicago, not just the parts that already get attention. What I'm excited about … sorrel has this beautiful, bright citrusy flavor — try blending it into a pesto with sunflower seeds and olive oil, or stir it into scrambled eggs or warm grains like farro or couscous to bring some acidity and freshness. With torpedo onions, I love grilling them whole until tender, then drizzling with olive oil and vinegar for a simple side. They also make a fantastic onion jam when slow-cooked — a great addition to burgers, sandwiches, or even a roasted veggie plate. Beets, turnips, and rutabagas are staples for us. Beets can be roasted with a bit of honey and thyme, or shaved raw into salads for texture. Turnips, especially the small Hakurei variety, can be sautéed with garlic and finished with lemon zest. And rutabagas are underrated; mash them like potatoes with butter and herbs, or cut them into wedges and roast until crisp. They're hearty and grounding, perfect for both comfort food and creative dishes. Paul Virant of Gaijin , Vistro Prime , and Petite Vie Farmers Market Move: Endive from Nichols Farm and Mick Klüg For me, it's pretty easy. I'm always most excited about the things you can't get at the grocery store. In the springtime, it's ramps and other spring alliums that are hard to find in the store. As you move into the summertime, it's really hard to find really good fruit in the grocery store. And the fruit that we do see comes from pretty far away, but there's a cost to that. Strawberries are picked under-ripe, and they turn red on their travels out to Chicago. I also love shelling beans, like cranberry beans, lima beans, or fresh black-eyed peas. Even regular kinds of lettuce, arugula, spinach — all that stuff is just more beautiful at the farmers market. If you're buying heartier greens in the fall from some of the local farmers, like spinach or kale, because they can handle the colder weather, that's the stuff that's been nipped by a frost, so it gets better and gets sweeter. Some of those greens, they've kept them in the ground, and they get sweeter as the nights get colder. Then they have interesting greens, like all the radicchios and the endives, the treviso — the bitter greens. Surprisingly, they have a kind of sweetness to them as well, so they're nice raw in a salad. I also like endives quickly charred in a hot pan, maybe with some garlic. I like them slowly braised in the oven with some orange halves and zest, maybe a little wine. If you have dandelion greens or kale, I like doing a conserva-style where you're slowly cooking them with garlic and anchovies in olive oil, maybe some chile flakes, and then finish them with a splash of vinegar or lemon juice. And they'll keep longer because of all the oil. And at Gaijin, we do a lot of Japanese-inspired pickles, and one is like a quick kind of ferment of mustard greens or chrysanthemum greens. The farms that have been pretty consistent in my world would be the Nichols Farm, Mick Klüg Farm, Ellis Family Farms, Iron Creek Farm, and there are a lot of others too. I like River Valley Ranch's mushrooms, Finn's Ranch for meat and eggs (they have duck eggs too). I love Jake's Country Meats. When they're at the market, I make sure to bring my Yeti strap cooler and buy a whole chicken, get some pork, good stuff I can make at home. Oliver Poilevey of Mariscos San Pedro , Le Bouchon , Obelix , and Taqueria Chingon Farmers Market Move: Summer tomatoes from Froggy Meadows I'm most excited for the summer tomatoes. I'll put them on everything. The really good ones are only here for a little while, and I don't really use the other ones that much. Nothing ruins a February sandwich more than a hard tomato. My friend Jerry at Green City Farmers Market in Lincoln Park, from Froggy Meadows, he's the tomato whisperer. Put tomatoes in everything you can think of, but definitely salads. And make sauces and salsas with them. You can also just slice them and eat them with salt and pepper. Leigh Omilinsky of Daisies Farmers Market Move: Strawberries, sweet black cherries, and sugar cube melons from Mick Klüg Farms, Quince from Oriana Orchard and Nursery We wait six months or however long for strawberries. Those are always the best. They're always the highlight for me. Because I have my strawberry items planned in my head in March, when I'm actually ready for them. But we don't get them until the first week of June. We get the majority of our fruit from Mick Klüg. I love them. I've worked with them for more than 15 years. I watched Abby's kids grow up. So it's cool to go and see how they've expanded. But I always look forward to the first strawberries. Then everything happens in rapid succession. All of a sudden, everything is here, at least fruit-wise. Sweet cherries are always fun for me because the season can be like two weeks. And then it's done, so I need to find something that really showcases them. Those sweet black cherries are so fleeting. And black raspberries, too, are so fleeting. I used to know in the city where there are some secret spots where you can pick them. I think generally speaking, with produce that is so special, we know our farmers, we know where they come from, we know what it takes to get there. The less we muck it up, the better. So we are jamming and preserving, and pickling all summer. Then, always like in August, the sugar cube melons I love. The little teeny yellow cantaloupe-looking ones. Those are great. I always make a sous vide out of those because, like it's two ingredients and that's it. And that's just perfect as is. Later into fall, I always want to do something with quince from Oriana. Bring a bag. Take your time. Talk to your farmers. These are the people that put everything they have into this. And for the most part, I can't think of a single one that's not willing to answer any questions. Ask them what's coming up next. Ask them what they're excited about. Ask them what they would do with it. They want to educate you. They want to have you enjoy their product as well. Jenner Tomaska of Esme and The Alston Farmers Market Move: Medlar and a strawberry smoothie from Seedling Fruit Peter from Seedling Fruit is amazing. He's been a long-time supporter of me, and he's an avid diner; he really stays in touch with the chef community. He's able to curate and plan for the following year if there's something special or unique you want to do. His stand at Green City Market also makes smoothies; my favorite is strawberry when they're in season. Right now, I'm looking forward to rhubarb. It's such a small season and small window, so we usually bulk up on it. But he also does medlar, which is just kind of an out-of-the-norm fruit that people don't really buy because it's kind of a pain in the ass to process. Medlar is a small brown fruit, like three times the size of a blueberry. It's dark in complexion, and when you press the innards out of it, it almost tastes already cooked and caramelized. It's almost like a roasted apple pawpaw flavor. It does have some of the slightest astringency to it. You can turn it into ice cream, adding it to a vinaigrette or dressing to make it slightly more savory. Esme is like a block away from Green City in Lincoln Park, so I usually go with my kid, and he goes up to Seedling Fruit, and he'll eat a flat of blackberries in like 30 seconds. Arshiya Farheen of Verzenay Farmers Market Move: Strawberries, gold and black raspberries, and Jupiter grapes from Mick Klüg and Ellis Family Farms, pawpaws from Oriana's Our booth is very close to Nichols Farm, and soon as the ramps get done, you start getting garlic scapes, which is very fun. They have different varieties of allium that you can never see in a grocery store. But we are a bakery and I really believe that strawberries from the Midwest, especially Michigan, are the best in the entire country. If you try Mick Klüg farms or Ellis Family Farms or any other farm from Michigan, their strawberries are a whole different level. It's red through and through, it tastes amazing. They're the closest I have seen to the gariguettes, these tiny French strawberries that grow around spring. The strong flavor profile that a strawberry should have, unfortunately, gets lost in other conventional farming. I also love getting the apples, the peaches, and the pawpaws from Oriana's. Jupiter grapes from Mick Klüg, they're a good alternative to Concord grapes, but they have a deep muscat flavor, and I love to make open-faced tarts with them. Ireland tomatoes from Nichols and sungold tomatoes from Jerry [Boone at Froggy Meadow]. Black raspberries and gold raspberries from Ellis; they are really fragile, so you have to get them right when they bring it out and eat them soon. Oriana's pawpaws and the Asian pears she has are so good. I didn't know what a pawpaw was 10 years ago before we started going to the market. They remind me of some of the fruits back in India; they have a custardy flavor profile, and you don't have to do anything but scoop it out and eat it with a spoon. You can also do something savory with strawberries if you want to try something new. Get the green strawberries and pickle them. These interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity. Sign up for our newsletter.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Thousands of MSCS students may be in summer school after TCAP
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Thousands of Memphis-Shelby County School students who did not pass the English portion of the TCAP could be enrolled in the district's summer learning program. According to the state's third grade retention law in effect since 2022, students can choose to enroll or be held back, unless they retake the test and score proficiently, enroll in tutoring for the following year, or attend summer school. Under the law, third graders who don't achieve a proficient score on the English Language Arts portion of the TCAP will be held back. WREG reached out to MSCS to find out how many students are enrolled in the summer learning program this year, and how many of those students did not pass the English TCAP, but we have not heard back yet. Last year, nearly 7,000 students participated in the program, and they showed improvements in English-Language Arts. English TCAP scores increase slightly for Memphis 3rd and 4th graders In the 2023 – 2024 school year, 26.6% of Memphis-Shelby County School students met or exceeded proficiency on the test. Although it was a slight increase from the previous year, State Representative Mark White says he wants to see more progress. 'Well, they continue to do well in growth, but that is not proficient,' White said. 'A proficiency is when you get above a certain level in reading proficiency. The latest scores that are MSCS is 23% reading proficiency for our third graders. That's not acceptable.' To improve literacy and proficiency rates, Representative White says it's important to make improvements within the school system before students enter the third grade. 'No one wants to hold back an eight-year-old, so now we're looking back at, 'What are we not doing in first and second grade and kindergarten that we don't have a child prepared by the time they're in third grade or eight-years-old?'' White said. Black bear feasts on pears in DeSoto County backyard White tells WREG that he's been working with MSCS to make adjustments that will improve literacy rates for students and better prepare them for the English-TCAP. 'The summer school is a good program, we're going to continue look at more, maybe more better ways,' he said. 'First of all, let's move back to first and second grade, so we're not talking about holding back a third grader. If you're not reading proficiently by third grade, we've already missed the mark in our education system.' This year's TCAP results are expected to be released sometime this summer. When we receive those results and a response from MSCS, we will let you know. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Buzz Feed
2 days ago
- Buzz Feed
18 Former "Gifted" Kids Share Its Effect On Their Lives
Recently, Reddit user Somervillage asked, "All the kids who were labelled as 'gifted' when you were younger — did it follow through to adulthood? Did you burnout?" People had A LOT to say. The question received over 4,500 replies! Here are some of the best: "I found anything that required effort immediately turned me off. I never developed a work ethic, so I'm incredibly lazy. But I'm also extremely efficient by putting in as little effort as possible to get tasks done." "I'm still working on it, albeit lazily."—real_picklejuice "I wouldn't say I burned out. But when I got to college, I got a painful lesson about the difference between being 'smart' and being 'a quick learner.'" "I had to learn to study in college. It took failing a course to admit to myself that I had to buckle down." —L0cked4fun "So far, so good. But I feel like an imposter. All through high school and college, I put in just enough effort to get an A. So I never really lived up to my potential, but I think that is the only thing that kept me sane." "I've never known anyone 'gifted' who didn't also have crippling mental or emotional problems. It seems to come with the territory. Maybe it's nature's way of leveling the playing field." —weird-oh "I was 'gifted' because I was an early and prolific reader, but oops — that's also hallmark for ADHD. I recently changed jobs in my field specifically to reduce the amount of responsibility I had. My anxiety is so much better." "I got a good job, but I also have inescapable depression and anxiety — not to mention a substance abuse problem. Part of me thinks the 'gifted' label just means I was mediocre but privileged. I'm not burnt out exactly, but I'm having a weird time." —RevolutionarySundae7 "I'm Asian...I'm not allowed to burn out." "I made it through college and grad school with honors, but I'm so burnt out by adult life and the 'real world.' I miss how easy academia was for me." "I excel in what I do for about three years, then I burn out and move on to something else. I've had several fun career paths. I'm great at learning, troubleshooting, problem solving, creative solutions, processing, and thinking outside the box. But I have no patience, low emotional intelligence, poor social skills, and no common sense." —Warm_Ad7486 "I'm a gifted teacher and was also a gifted student. Depression, anxiety, imposter syndrome, perfectionism, and burnout are all super common among gifted students. They're about twice as likely to attempt suicide and far more likely to have substance abuse problems. In many states, 'social emotional' goals are now included in their educational plans alongside academic goals. It's one of the compelling arguments for identifying gifted kids and giving them special services." "I reached a point where the mindset of 'studying is something that happens to other people' wasn't enough. I took a break. Went back to university in a different field and finished a four year degree in two years. Found work I enjoyed for most of a decade. Then my brain self-destructed and blew a hole in itself. Now I have to relearn how to walk every morning. But I'm good at it!" "Don't have a stroke in your 30s, y'all."—ChemistryPerfect4534 "I found out I was neurodivergent." "As a gifted adult, I've found that corporate America sucks because people don't want your improvements and feedback unless you're the boss. So I've had some unpleasant employment experiences." —RednocNivert "I'm at that uncomfortable level where I was told I'm gifted — genius even. But I've always been keenly aware of just how much of an effing idiot I really am. And I'm also keenly aware that I'm still somehow much more intelligent than the average people I deal with every single day." "I won math competitions and science fairs growing up. Graduated college early. Went from living in a trailer to a 4,000 square foot home with a new luxury SUV. Wife stays at home. I work from home. Have a couple kids. Life is pretty good." —Moron-Whisperer "I was 'gifted' and made the honor roll and president's list. My dad beat my college goals out of me when I was in high school, so I didn't go. I started working a dead end job just like he wanted. I feel like I'm at least a decade behind where I should be in life." And finally, on a lighter note, "30 years of smoking weed took care of that!" —blackbellamy"Gifted at smoking weed."—DeadNotSleepingWI"420 IQ."—mofototheflo H/T r/AskReddit
