The Student Intervention Monitoring System (SIMS) is a software program designed to monitor interventions and help educators provide additional support for children who are not learning. Created by the Madison Metropolitan School District with support from the Department of Public Instruction, this electronic tool contains interventions selected to individualize support for students. An emphasis has been placed on early intervening services to remove barriers to learning and to promote student success. SIMS is a systematic way to share information between teachers and to monitor student progress over time. This tool can be used to promote dialogue around student needs amongst teams of educators.
While the tool is currently populated with interventions strategies for attendance, behavior, language arts, and mathematics, the content should be customized to fit the instructional framework of an individual district. There is no single way to use SIMS. Initial use of SIMS may look different in each district depending on readiness and district needs.
Resources
- A demonstration site for the Student Intervention Monitoring System is available. Log-in information is available on the left side of the screen.
- To learn more about SIMS, watch this short informational video. A video transcript is available.
- Your district may also find it helpful to use this self assessment tool for Response to Intervention to decide whether SIMS may be right for you.
- These screen shots can also be helpful for presenting SIMS to groups.
SIMS Training Materials
The document, SIMS: Necessary Steps for Implementation, summarizes hows SIMS fits into an RtI system and what a district needs in order to implement SIMS.
User Training
The following materials can be used to train new participants how to use SIMS:
SIMS Overview Demonstration: This script shows the general layout and organization of SIMS.
Facilitator Agenda User Training: This is a detailed sample agenda for a one day SIMS training.
All SIMS Activities: This document contains all of the activities needed for a SIMS training.
SIMS Detailed Demonstration Script: This is a detailed script for each of the sections of SIMS.
SIMS PowerPoint Demo 2010-11: This PowerPoint is part of the one day SIMS training.
Networking Session: May 12, 2011
Networking Session: February 15, 2012
Local System Administrator Training
This training has been divided into six modules. You can view all or some of the modules, depending on your specific needs. These training modules are audio PowerPoint presentations. When you start the slideshow, the narration will begin and the slides will advance automatically.
Module #1: SIMS Overview
Module #2: District Administration
Module #3: School Administration
Module #4: Scripted Interaction and Content Uploads
Module #5: PowerSchool
Module #6: Infinite Campus
Note: At this time, there are not specific instructions for Skyward, or any other Student Management System. When instructions for more Student Management Systems become available, this training will be updated, and all SIMS trainers and users will be notified.
If you are having trouble viewing these trainings, you may need to download a free PowerPoint Viewer, available here.
LSA Training Q & A
There will be a series of Q & A sessions to help districts with the LSA training. The Q & A will be conducted online, via MS Live Meeting.
Information regarding the Q & A sessions will be sent out through the SIMS Help Desk and CESA trainers. You will have an opportunity to send in questions in advance. Please listen to the LSA training prior to attending a Q & A session.
Content Administrator Training
The Content Administrator 1) creates interventions and progress monitor tools for the entire district and 2) loads district interventions and progress monitors into SIMS.
The following handouts correspond to the Elluminate sessions listed below.
Content Administrator Training Binder Part 1: contains intervention builder and progress monitor builder.
Content Administrator Training Binder Part 2: contains flag categories/core practices builders, tier builder, and checklist builder.
Below are links to the ElluminateLive! recordings to support the use of the Content Administrator Training Materials. The first link is a recording of Content Administrator Training, Part I. There was some initial difficulty with a microphone, so click ahead and skip the first approximately 3 minutes and then the actual session will begin.
Content Administrator Training Part 1: contains an overview of SIMS, intervention builder, and progress monitor builder.
Content Administrator Training Part 2: contains flag categories/core practices builder, tier builder, and checklist builder.
Benefits
Districts using SIMS have seen an increase in their ability to support and document collaborative conversations. This tool promotes dialogue around student needs amongst teaching teams, pupil services staff, and administration. SIMS can be used as a possible framework to connect district professional development around equity issues, Professional Learning Communities, Early Intervening Services, Response to Intervention, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, Data Retreats, and more. Additionally, during the interceding years since development of this tool began, SIMS has helped user districts respond to the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and Adequate Yearly Progress, the reauthorization of IDEA 2004 (EIS, RtI, and Progress Monitoring) and Disproportionality.
Statewide Availability of SIMS
Interested districts may seek SIMS training from their local CESA for $1500 for a four person team. Trainers for each CESA may be located on the list of statewide SIMS trainers.
Open Source Users’ Group
SIMS was created in an open source environment. Participating CESAs/districts should become involved in the statewide users’ group designed to provide mutual support and identify potential upgrades to the system. Since a centralized, statewide hosting service will be provided, a professional learning community will be established to discuss both programmatic and technical use of SIMS.
For further information about SIMS in Wisconsin:
Last updated on 2/29/2012 3:44:16 PM
Home
About Us