October 24, 2025
Friday Focus
Happy Friday! I hope everyone has had a great week.
As we continue our journey into the Science of Learning and effective instructional practices, I want to revisit a concept that has tremendous potential to transform learning in every classroom: spaced practice.
This isn't just about good teaching—it's about reaching our building goals and supporting every student's growth. We've committed to getting 80% of our students proficient in ELA, Math, and Science, and we know from our Iowa School Profile that growth matters. As a building on the targeted list for students with disabilities, we need to ensure that our SWD population is making meaningful progress. Spaced practice is one of the most evidence-based strategies we have to accelerate that growth for all learners.
What is Spacing?
Spacing, or distributed practice, is the simple but powerful idea that learning is more durable when we spread it out over time rather than cram it into a single session. When students revisit content at intervals—with time in between for partial forgetting—they're forced to effortfully retrieve information, which strengthens memory far more than massed practice ever could.
Think of it this way: the struggle to remember is actually the learning. Those moments when students have to work to recall information from last week or last month are precisely when their brains are building stronger, more retrievable memories.
Why It Works (And Why It Matters for Our Goals)
The research is clear. Spaced practice leverages what cognitive scientists call the "spacing effect"—one of the most robust findings in educational psychology. When we allow time between learning sessions, we create desirable difficulties that enhance long-term retention. Students may feel like they're learning more slowly, but they're actually learning more permanently.
This matters for our goals because spacing directly impacts the growth component of our Iowa School Profile. When students retain content over time and build on prior knowledge, they demonstrate the kind of sustained academic progress that the growth category measures. For our students with disabilities—the population where we need to show the most improvement—spacing reduces cognitive load by distributing learning over time and provides multiple opportunities for mastery. It's not about teaching more; it's about teaching smarter so that learning sticks.
Practical Strategies for Every Classroom
The beauty of spacing is that it doesn't require a curriculum overhaul. Here are concrete ways to build it into your existing practice:
1. The Weekly Warm-Up Spiral Begin each class with 3-5 review questions from previous weeks. Rotate through units systematically so content reappears at increasing intervals.
2. Cumulative Assessments Instead of testing only current material, include 20-30% of questions from earlier units on every quiz and test. This sends the message that all learning matters, not just what's newest.
3. Interleaving Old with New When teaching a new concept, deliberately pause to retrieve and apply a related concept from weeks ago. Make the connections explicit.
4. The 1-7-30 Retrieval Plan After introducing new material, create touchpoints: revisit it after 1 day, again after 7 days, and once more after 30 days. These intervals can be flexible but should progressively increase.
5. Exit Ticket Time Travel End class with an exit ticket that asks about both today's lesson AND something from 2-3 weeks ago.
Getting Started
You don't need to implement all of these strategies at once. Pick one approach that feels manageable and build it into your routine for the next few weeks. Notice what happens to student retention.
The key is consistency. Spacing works when it becomes a regular feature of your instruction, not an occasional add-on.
Our path to 80% proficiency in ELA, Math, and Science runs through strategies like this. Our students—especially our students with disabilities—deserve instruction that doesn't just prepare them for Friday's test but builds knowledge that lasts and demonstrates measurable growth. Spacing is one of the most evidence-based ways we can make that happen.
Let's continue this conversation. I'd love to hear about the spacing strategies you're already using or planning to try.
Looking Ahead
Western Iowa Tech Campus Visit - October 29
Our counselors will be leading all juniors on an exciting campus visit to Western Iowa Tech. This required event gives our students a valuable glimpse into their post-secondary options. Students who miss the bus or opt out will remain in their regular classes.
Key Dates to Remember
- Nov. 5 - Shelter Drill at 11:15 am
- Nov. 12 - Inservice
- Nov. 14 - End of Trimester 1
Have a wonderful, restful weekend!
Mark
Assistant Principal's Happenings
Moss
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