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Millburn principals outline 'WIN' period to deliver targeted, data-driven small-group instruction
Summary
Elementary principals told the board March 9 that the district's WIN (What I Need) period is a dedicated, flexible 20–40 minute block for targeted intervention and enrichment, using multiple data sources and fluid grouping so support (speech, OT, ELL) can occur with minimal interruption to core instruction.
At the March 9 Millburn Township Board of Education meeting, elementary principals presented the district's WIN (What I Need) period as a new, data-driven block of time for targeted intervention and enrichment.
Principal Kristen Muller described WIN as "targeted support for students" that is tied to individualized learning goals and driven by data from screeners, benchmark assessments and teacher observation. "What WIN is is targeted, and it is data driven," she said, adding that the program is meant to evolve across the year.
Principal Carrie Emmanualides said groups during WIN are fluid and based on multiple measures, enabling teachers to form short, skill-specific sessions. She said the period lets specialists—speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists and ELL staff—work with students during WIN with "minimal interruption to the core class time." For younger grades, presenters said WIN focuses on phonemic awareness and number sense; for grades 3–5, emphasis shifts toward comprehension and multi-step problem solving.
Presenters described a 20–40 minute typical WIN block, with many schools scheduling 30–40 minutes and one school (Washington) implementing building-wide WIN time. They said professional development began over the summer and continued during faculty meetings and PLCs to help teachers plan schedules, use data to form flexible groups and collaborate across grade levels.
The principals said WIN also supports student agency: students are introduced to their own data, set learning goals and track progress. One slide shared during the presentation showed student responses to a question about what they most enjoy in class; several students cited WIN time. "It normalizes students getting what they need," a presenter said.
Board members thanked the presenters and asked clarifying questions about data sources and student perceptions. The presentation was part of the program committee's preview and follows district professional development designed to support differentiation.
The board did not take a formal vote on WIN during the meeting; the presentation served as an update on implementation and alignment with the district's instructional goals.
