0 316 Reading Teacher Certification Program Language and Literacy Department Student Information Handbook Fall 2015
1 Table of Contents 316 Reading Teacher Certification Program: General Information Department Program Advisor... 3 Program Description and Coursework... 3 Standards and Outcomes... 3 Prerequisites and Program sequence... 3 Literacy Center Observation and Practical Application... 3 Pathway to Master s Degree / 17 Reading Specialist License... 3 Wisconsin Foundations of Reading Test (FORT)... 4 316 Certification... 4 Applying for the 316 Reading Certification... 4 General Program Information Information for First Day of Classes... 5 Registration Information... 5 Student ID... 5 LiveText Requirements/Key Assessments... 5 Tuition Charges... 5 Dropping or Withdrawing from Classes... 6 Financial Aid... 6 Tutoring Services... 6 Language and Literacy Department: General Information Department Mission Statement... 7 Class Attendance... 7 Incomplete Grade Policy... 7 Reducing Paper Copies... 7 Saving Assignments... 7 (continued next page)
2 Technology: General Information Technology Requirements... 8 Wolfmail... 8 MyStritch... 8 Computer Labs... 8 University Contacts and Phone Numbers... 9
3 316 Reading Teacher Certification: Specific Program Information Department Program Advisor: Marian Graeven Peter Your program advisor is your go-to person who can answer general questions about your program and assist you if you need to change your schedule (drop or withdraw from a class). Marian can be reached at her Stritch City Center Office (1037 W. McKinley Ave., Room 104) or (414) 410-4358. Email address: mgraevenpeter@stritch.edu Program Description and Coursework: 316 Reading Teacher (K-12) Certification is a 20-credit, graduate-level program offered through the Department of Language and Literacy. The coursework for the Reading Teacher certification is intended to prepare teachers to provide focused and intensive instruction for small groups of children, especially those who struggle with literacy development in grades K-12. Teachers can immediately apply the knowledge and skills gained from their coursework to their present classroom situations. Standards and Program Outcomes The program is connected to the International Reading Association s Standards for Reading Professionals and aligned with INTASC Teacher Standards. See individual syllabi for course-related standards that are tied to program outcomes and assessment criteria. Prerequisites and Program Sequence Students can enter the program at any point when the following courses are offered: RL 560, RL 561, RL 563, and RL 570. The last course in the certification sequence is the capstone: RL 570 Practicum. No outside study team meetings are required. 316 Reading Teacher certification is awarded upon successful completion of coursework and requires passing the WI Foundations of Reading Test (FoRT) with a score of 240 or better. Coursework The following courses comprise the 316 certification program: RL 560 -- Language, Literacy, and Learning (4 credits) RL 561 -- Language, Literacy and Learning Within and Across the Disciplines (4 credits) RL 563 -- Assessment and Instruction in Word Knowledge (2 credits) RL 564 --Literacy Assessment (2 credits) NOTE: RL 563 is a prerequisite for this course RL 565 --Meeting Literacy Needs at Advanced and Developing Stages (4 credits) RL 570 --Practicum (4 credits) This is the final course in your program. Literacy Center Observation and Practical Application For each course, approximately 5 hours of Literacy Center observation and application is required. These learning opportunities will be completed outside of scheduled class time. Scheduling and locations are flexible - Students will be responsible for making their own arrangements. These arrangements must be made the third week of the semester. Note: Only one observation is required for the sequential courses RL 563 & 564. Pathway to Master s Degree / 17 Reading Specialist License All credits earned upon completion of 316 coursework directly apply toward a Master of Arts Degree in Literacy. The coursework sequence is currently being revised with an estimated program start date of spring 2016. The sequence will include conducting research related to literacy, writing a manuscript, and presenting the research project. In addition, a supervision course is required for the 17 Reading Specialist License. Contact your program advisor for more information. A passing score of 240 or above on the WI Foundations of Reading Test (FoRT) is required for the 17 license. (University policy requires that all credits applying toward a master s degree must be completed within seven (7) consecutive years)
4 Certification Requirements: Wisconsin Foundations of Reading Test (FORT) Any individual applying as of January 1 st, 2014 for an initial license as a 316 Reading Teacher or 17 Reading Teacher Specialist is required to take and pass the Wisconsin Reading Foundations Test. Passing score is 240. Wisconsin Website for the Foundations of Reading Test: http://www.wi.nesinc.com/ The website includes all the practice testing materials, registration information, and policies needed to understand the Foundations of Reading Test. *When you take the test, request that the score be set to Cardinal Stritch University. To receive 316 Teacher Certification, students must have: Complete required coursework with a 3.0 overall grade point average on a 4.0 scale with no individual grade below a C. Satisfactorily pass key assessment assignments which are embedded throughout the program as described in individual course syllabi Successfully complete the Foundations of Reading Test with a score of 240 or above; Submit score to Cardinal Stritch University Applying for 316 Reading Teacher Certification Upon successful completion of all 316 coursework and submission of a passing score for the Foundations of Reading Test, students are ready to be endorsed by Stritch s Certifying Officer. Endorsement is sent directly to DPI. Students are then able to apply on line for certification. Contact program advisor for details. DPI s online licensing site is: http://tepdl.dpi.wi.gov/licensing/elo
5 General Program Information Information for First Day of Classes Students who are admitted to the 316 Reading Teacher Certification Program will receive a welcome packet via email about three weeks before the first class meeting. The packet will contain a course schedule, campus map, parking directions, and information pertaining to your first course (meeting dates, instructor name, textbook information). If you do not receive your welcome packet, please contact your program advisor. All of your classes will meet at the Cardinal Stritch City Center location at 1037 W. McKinley Ave. Check the electronic signage above the security desk by the front door to verify the room assignment each week. You will be given a short break for dinner, but not long enough to leave campus. Please bring your own food or snacks. There is a vending machine with soda, water, and snacks on the 2 nd floor, along with an ice machine, refrigerator, and microwave. Registration Information You will be automatically registered for all twenty credits required for the 316 certification program. If you are unable to attend a course for which you have been registered, contact your Program Advisor. Student ID Once you are registered, Graduate Admissions will request your ID cards which will be delivered to you in class. You will need your student ID card to access materials from the library. LiveText Requirement/Key Assessments Students enrolled in the 316 Reading Certification Program are required to have an active subscription to LiveText. LiveText is used by students to submit key assessment assignments from selected courses in the 316 program. See individual course syllabi for description of assignment and rubrics associated with key assessments. LiveText subscriptions are valid for five years and can be purchased online at www.livetext.com. Click on Purchase/Register at the top of the LiveText homepage. An online training guide can be requested through your program advisor. Tuition Charges Your tuition bill will be generated after you are registered and you will find your tuition charges on MyStritch. Tuition payments can be made by credit card through MyStritch; tuition payments can also be made by phone, by mail or in person through the University Business Office. Please contact the Business Office at 414-410-4232 if you have questions about your tuition bill. Students will not be permitted to continue in the program unless all current tuition and fees are paid. Official transcripts will be withheld pending payment of outstanding balances. Textbooks It is the student s responsibility to access information for required texts via the Stritch Bookstore website and to purchase textbooks before the first session of each course. Textbook information for each course is available via the Stritch Bookstore website: www.csu.bkstr.com. Click on the link Books. To find your required texts: Enter your Term = (i.e. Fall 2014) Department = RL (all courses begin with the code RL ) Section = This is the number assigned to your program which can be found on the top of your course schedule
Textbooks (con t) There are 3 ways to purchase your textbooks: 1) Cardinal Stritch University Bookstore website to purchase your new or used books or rent used books, 2) You may order online from other vendors, or 3) you may visit the bookstore on the main campus in person. If you use the University Bookstore, books can be purchased in the Bookstore, on-line, via fax or via telephone. If you have any questions about how to order your books online through the Cardinal Stritch website, contact Marian Graeven Peter (mgraevenpeter@stritch.edu) 414-410-4358 If you have received a financial aid award and would like to use financial aid monies to cover your textbooks, you can get a textbook voucher for the University Bookstore. Contact the University Financial Aid Office for information about textbook vouchers. Renting books: Please call the bookstore or stop in for details. Phone: (414) 410-4035 or (800) 347-8822, ext. 4035 Dropping or Withdrawing From Classes All drops and withdraws must be processed through your program advisor. Students must drop a course before the course begins; students will not be charged for dropped courses. Students can withdraw from a course until the 2/3 point in the course (the withdraw date for each course will be listed in the course syllabus); students are charged for withdrawn courses. Students cannot withdraw after the 2/3 point. If you choose to stop attending the course at this point, you will receive an F. See course syllabus for detailed information Financial Aid View the status of your financial aid application at www.stritch.edu/onlineaid. Financial aid requires four completed forms before an award can be determined: 1) FAFSA, 2) Entrance Counseling, 3) Master Promissory Note, 4) Stritch Institutional Application for Financial Aid. Contact the Financial Aid Office at 414-410-4048 with general questions about financial aid paperwork and aid distribution. Tutoring Services All Stritch students have access to free on-line tutoring services through Smarthinking and the Online Writing Lab ( OWL ). These services can be very helpful to graduate students seeking help with writing papers. Smarthinking and OWL can be accessed from MyStritch and from the Academics tab on Stritch website. 6
7 Language and Literacy Department: General Information Department Mission Statement To transform lives and serve communities by preparing leaders in language and literacy. Class Attendance Attendance is required. If an absence is necessary, the student shall inform the instructor personally that he or she will be absent prior to the class meeting. Students are responsible for securing class notes, assignments, and/or handouts. The instructor may also ask the student to complete an alternative assignment reflecting content discussed during his/her absence. Specific attendance policies can be found in your course syllabus. Refer to the policies as stated in each syllabus. Incomplete Grade Policy Students may be granted a grade of Incomplete ( I ) if, through extraordinary circumstances, they are prevented from completing course requirements. In order to be eligible for an Incomplete grade, the student must have completed at least 50% of the course work as determined by the instructor. The instructor is not required to grant a student an Incomplete and will do so only at the explicit request of the student. If a student finds it necessary to request an Incomplete in a course, arrangements must be made with the instructor prior to the end of the course. An Incomplete contract must be completed by the student and the instructor specifying the work to be accomplished, and the default grade that will be issued if the outstanding work is not submitted by the due date. The Incomplete contract must be signed by the student as well as the instructor and submitted to the Registrar s office. Please be aware that incompletes can impact financial aid. See graduate catalog for complete policy. Reducing Paper Copies In an effort to reduce waste, we are dedicated to becoming as paperless as possible. Syllabi and other hand-outs will be distributed via Canvas. Print out only what you think you need to have in hard copy. Saving Assignments Save all of the assignments you create in your classes. This includes completed rubrics, practicum paperwork, and comps question paperwork. You will need some of these assignments to showcase your competencies and growth throughout the program..
8 Technology: General Information Technology requirements Successful participation in a master degree program requires competency in the use of electronic media. Students must have regular access to a personal computer for email, word processing, graphic presentations and the use of internet for research and networking. Students should have the latest version of Word 07. While not required, it is recommended that students have a laptop to use during the program. Wolfmail All students who are accepted into the program automatically have a Stritch email account; this is your Wolfmail account (Go Stritch Wolves!). A letter with access information and temporary password will be mailed to your home. Your user name and password will allow you to sign on to your Stritch email account; your user name and password can also be used to sign on to campus computers. You must use your Wolfmail account for program communication and class assignments, so make sure that your account is operable. Students are expected to check their Stritch email on a regular basis. Contact the IT Help Desk Support at 414-410-4600 or support@stritch.edu if you are unable to access your Wolfmail account. Students can also arrange to have Wolfmail forwarded to another email address. Information on how to do this can be provided by IT Help Desk Support. MyStritch MyStritch, my.stritch.edu, is a one-stop portal to online student services. Services available through MyStritch include: Your grade reports for each semester (these are not mailed to you) Unofficial transcripts Your tuition bill Financial aid information Campus announcements and other information You will need your user name and a password to access this site. While you were able to access MyStritch as an applicant to the Literacy program, MyStritch log-on information is changed when a student is registered for the program. Your new MyStritch log-on information will be sent with your Wolfmail information. If you do not receive this information, please contact the Help Desk at 414-410-4600. Computer Labs There is a computer lab at the City Center location available for your use: Rm 317. It is open from 8am 10pm M-F, and some weekends as well. In some cases, the lab may be in use for certain classes. Your student fees enable you to print up to 400 pages each semester. You will use your Stritch Wolfmail password to access computers. City Center is wireless you can bring your own laptop. There is also a computer lab at Stritch s main campus location (6801 N. Yates Rd) which is open on weekends.
9 Cardinal Stritch University Phone Numbers Program Chair Julie Steuber, Ph.D. Phone: 414-410-4361 Email: jasteuber@stritch.edu Program Advisor Marian Graeven Peter, Ed.D. Phone: 414-410-4358 Email: mgraevenpeter@stritch.edu University Contact Information Financial Aid Phone: 414-410-4048 Email: finaid@stritch.edu Office of Registrar Phone: 414-410-4081 Email: registrar@stritch.edu Bursar/Business Office Phone: 414-410-4232 Email: admin.businessoffice@stritch.edu Bookstore Phone: 414-410-4035 Website: www.bkstr.com Library Services Phone: 414-410-4263 Website: www.stritch.edu/library IT Services: Helpdesk Support Phone: 414-410-4600 Website: support@stritch.edu