A proud part of the Layton Boulevard West Neighborhood!
Our school provides a traditional educational program with special emphasis on teaching basic skills through the Comprehensive Literacy Model. Doerfler participates in the SAGE program which allows us to keep the class sizes in grade levels K5 through 3rd, at a 15:1 student to teacher ratio. Other school-wide programs to increase student achievement include but are not limited to:
Lucy Calkins Writing Approach
Writers’ Workshop
Do the Dew (Drop Everything and Write)
Guided Reading
We recognize the necessity for curriculum mapping, aligning the curriculum with state standards, and designing (CABS). These strategies will directly impact student success in the areas of reading, math, language arts, and writing. The staff will continue to be in-serviced on teaching methods that advocate higher level thinking skills. The Literacy Coach, Reading Resource Teacher, and Math Lead Teacher facilitate grade level meetings which provide research-based teaching strategies to assist in raising the proficiency levels of our students. Parents will also continue to be invited to participate in the decision- making process of school events.
Science Achievement: Since science has become one of the graduation requirements of the Milwaukee Public Schools, it is important that our students do well in this area. The staff has emphasized the scientific method by placing PHEOC (Problem, Hypothesis, Experiment, Observations, and Conclusion) posters in every classroom. Students work in small groups to conduct science experiments. Data has been collected and recorded in graphs, charts, and tables. Theories and conclusions have been displayed in classrooms and hallways.
Reading/ Language Arts Achievement: Reading has always been a priority at Doerfler. Students participate in the Accelerated Reading Program. Many of the intermediate classes are reading buddies with primary classes. A very successful Family Reading Night, with many interesting reading activities, is held each year. Drop Everything and Write (DEW) and portfolios are used throughout all grades. This year we have created a Writers Wall of Fame to showcase outstanding pieces of writing. Scholastic Book Fairs are held twice a year. The first one is held in the fall in conjunction with our Open House or Parent/Teacher Conferences; the second one is held in May and is a Buy One/Get One Free. Students in grades 2, 3, and 4 participate in SPARC (Students, Parents, and Reading Connection). Each week a different student takes home a book bag filled with a variety of reading materials for the entire family to read and enjoy. Information about how to help children to read is included/ Parents fill out a survey upon returning the book bag. The feedback has been very positive! This year kindergarten and first grade students will have an opportunity to take home a READ AT HOME book bag which will contain the same book in English and Spanish as well as a DVD. Staff members throughout the school use a variety of approaches and methods to teach reading. These include Guided Reading groups, Shared Reading, Read – Alouds, Readers’ Theater Literature Circles and Independent Reading. Students in grades 3-6 use the Scholastic Reading Inventory as an assessment tool. This computer software gives students a Lexile number which then helps teachers to establish their instructional level. Given periodically, teachers are able to assess students’ progress. We have a number of all-school reading incentive programs. These include: Pizza Hut Book It, Six Flags Reading, and our very own Read and Ride. Finally, this year we are sending home a monthly newsletter “Reading Connection” (in both English and Spanish_ which gives tips to parents about how they can help their students at home in reading and writing.
Math Achievement: The students at Doerfler School will develop strategies consistent with the comprehensive math framework and the learning targets in order to understand and apply math concepts in the classroom and the real world. The fifth and sixth grade departmentalize for math instruction during the 2005-2006 school year. Students use manipulatives as they solve problems. The math curriculum is reinforced through the use of small group instruction, computers, and peer tutoring. Once a week, students have the opportunity to deposit moneys in a savings account with Guardian Credit Union with whom we have a partnership.
Special Education: Doerfler also provides a continuum of special education services. There are five special education teachers (1 bilingual), 4 speech/ language pathologists (2 bilingual), 3 paraprofessionals, and one Handicapped Child’s Assistant. Itinerant staff includes a diagnostic teacher, social worker and a bilingual psychologist.
Bilingual Education: The Bilingual Program at Doerfler School is a Developmental Program. Students learn English while maintaining and developing their Spanish. Some students begin transition into English in the second grade but informal instruction is included in grades K4-1st grade. There are approximately 154 students in the Bilingual Program here at Doerfler School. The highest grade level in the bilingual program is fifth grade. Students in fifth grade that have exited the bilingual program can apply for admission into any M.P.S. monolingual program. The students in the bilingual program also receive instruction in E.S.L. according to their Limited English Proficiency level (LEP). Each grade level in the bilingual program has a gradual increase in English instruction. There are 10 % increments at each grade level. K4 starts at 10% English instruction and it goes up to 60% in grades 4& 5. With the increase of second language instruction in the bilingual program and E.S.L, the students take the W.K.C.E. in English after three years in the United States. In Wisconsin, the count starts in first grade.Our goal in the Bilingual and E.S.L. Program is to help the students reach the LAU level of 3 in order to have a better understanding of the English language so they can succeed academically and score Proficient on the W.K.C.E.-CRT.
IEP mandated special education services are provided to students in a variety of settings. Self – contained programming is provided for K3 students. Students in K4 through 8th grade are included in regular education with support from the special education teachers .Some students also are receiving services in small group and resource settings. Our school provides a unique early childhood special education opportunity. Students in the early childhood cross categorical program are combined in one classroom, with the early childhood special education teacher, the early childhood speech/ language pathologist and 2 paraprofessionals providing services. Doerfler is one of three schools in MPS with bilingual early childhood speech/ language classrooms.
