At Commack Road, the teaching and learning community has developed a new Response to Intervention Committee to help determine if students are responding to classroom instruction and progressing as expected.

Currently the RTI Committee is represented by 15 faculty members from Commack Road and the district, including at least one teacher per grade level, a reading teacher, an English as a new language teacher, the building psychologist, a social worker, representatives from pupil personnel services and the office of curriculum and instruction, and the building principal.

Commack Road’s RTI Committee has met biweekly since September to discuss, problem solve, and develop plans for classroom and tiered intervention of student instruction.  The process began with the administration of a universal screening diagnostic, iReady, and surveying of all staff using the RTI Readiness Survey. Since that time, faculty members have dedicated their time to data analysis, using data to inform student learning and using staff feedback and input in creation and selection of professional development opportunities. 

Inspired by the work, research and publications of Jim Wright, the team attended Wright’s series of workshops at Eastern Suffolk BOCES this year. 

“Jim Wright says that RTI is about teamwork and collaboration,” said fourth-grade teacher and Commack Road parent Cathy Nieves. “I am incredibly proud of the work and efforts that team members are putting in and appreciative that they are giving of their own time to a worthwhile cause.”

Moving through the winter months, the faculty will facilitate workshops to their peers on Interventions for Administering and Utilizing Fountas and Pinnell to Inform Classroom Instruction, Interventions for Math, Interventions for Reading and Writing, and Motivating Students.

“The development of a multitiered student support system that we are undertaking will be a three-to-five-year project that will build on the already great things happening at CRES while improving the teaching and learning of all students of all abilities,” said Principal James Cameron.