Tiger Beat
Acton Weekly Update: 9/30/16
Nuts and Bolts
All certified staff may leave immediately following student dismissal to attend the contract ratification meeting on Monday, Oct. 3rd.
CONES: I am going to ask that the Car Rider Duty Personnel please put cones out at the end of duty to block vehicles from entering the playground area during the school day. Then, second grade can pick them up AFTER recess is over in the afternoon. We've noticed we have vehicles on the lot when kids are out playing and we don't want to take any chances.
EVERY EMPLOYEE that is benefits eligible MUST log on and accept of decline coverage offered through our district insurance policy. Open Enrollment is Sept. 26-Oct. 26th. HR is open and available from 6:00 AM- 6:00PM for anyone to come in and get assistance with this process.
Pepsi will be leaving our school and Coke will be replacing starting after Christmas Break.
Curriculum and Instruction
Curriculum and Instruction:
Remember Close Reading!!
Choosing the Right Passage for Close Reading http://www.smekenseducation.com/Close-Reading-Strategies.html
The Three Stages:
http://www.smekenseducation.com/Introduce-the-3-Phases-of-Close.html
In SS/Sci
http://www.smekenseducation.com/Add-Editorial-Cartoons-to-Science-and-Social-Studies.html
In Math
http://www.smekenseducation.com/Attack-Story-Problems-with-the-.html
FTCSC DIBELS GOALS: Accuracy 85% and Fluency 80%
Ways to Respond to Independent Reading, Read with A Buddy, or Read Aloud Time~
1.) Same/Different: Find a partner. Working together, list or discuss as many differences between the books you’re reading as you can think of. Then list or discuss the similarities. Which list is longer? Report your findings to the class.
2.) I’d Like to Tell You: Write to a character in your book or to its author, starting each new sentence with, “I’d like to tell you.”
Be ready to explain what you have written to your buddy or group.
Cool Resources:
A Keyboarding Website For Student Practice
http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/keyboarding_games.html
IDEAS FOR INTEGRATING FALL FRUIT INTO LESSONS
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/top-teaching/2016/09/early-childhood-teaching-apples
Putting the Form in Formative Assessments
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/putting-form-in-formative-assessment-pauline-zdonek
Climate and Culture
Effort and Energy: Building deep understanding makes learning richer and more memorable and encourages creativity, leading to increased student enthusiasm and effort.
Capture the Essentials: Give your students real tools they can use to retain the content. Teach them mnemonic devices such as associations, peg words, or acronyms. Using simple acronyms can bolster students’ knowledge of labels in the content they’re studying which gives them confidence.
Make it Personal: Give students a chance to share personal stories that connect to the topic you’re introducing. You can have them engage in a short writing activity, relate stories verbally with partners or in small groups, or have them tell their stories to the whole class.
From: Engaging Students With Poverty In Mind
In a third Short Share video from the Indiana Department of Education, Kristin Sievers Coffer, an IDOE education specialist in the Office of Special Education, and Veronique Briscoe-Beuoy, IDOE’s director of Climate, Culture, and Community discuss:
· OSEP’s latest Dear Colleague letter, “Supporting Behavior of Students with Disabilities,” and
· Providing equity and access for ALL students, including those with disabilities.
Watch Short Share video #3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbFVDZ094qQ&feature=youtu.be
Find links to all three IDOE Short Share videos at: http://www.doe.in.gov/specialed
27 Ways to Greet Students:
http://www.teachthought.com/uncategorized/27-ways-to-greet-your-elementary-school-students/
Athlete Mentors
ISTEP
Teachers in Grades 3-5, RA Teachers, IA's and a few other designated people are required to watch the Testing Security Video below along with read the documents on the Google Drive that is at the other link below. We are required to complete this before we leave for Fall Break. I am going to give you a couple of options.
1. If you've administered ISTEP before and are familiar with the process, you are still required to read and watch the provided material and sign off that you have done so, however you may do this on your own.
2. If you have administered or proctored ISTEP, you can read and view everything and then check in with me to answer any questions you may have, then sign off that you've completed everything.
3. If you are uncertain about the testing security process, new to the district, or want a refresher, you can read and view the documents on your own, but you will also need to meet with me to go over everything together. IA's we will meet after your time with Ronna on Wednesday. Teachers in this category, we will meet on Friday morning at 8:10 in the conference room.
Parent Teacher Conferences- Oct. 5th and 6th.
All teachers should now have their report cards printed. Do not send home. You will give those out at conferences. Also, 4th and 5th grade teachers, you should be handing out the ISTEP results to parents at the conference.
Third grade teachers, please go over the IREAD info and have parent sign stating they acknowledge the IREAD information.
Link to helpful suggestions for Parent/Teacher Conferences for teachers--- http://www.ascd.org/ascd-express/vol6/612-wilson.aspx
Technology
Chromebook Carts will be checked out to Nadine on days when she is in our building for professional development with teachers. These days will trump other reasons for using the Chromebooks. This means that some teachers may need to reschedule with Krissy. Fridays will be affected with assessments.
Google Drive: Help organizing your Google folders Link to Google Drive Organization Tips