Anchor Weekly
A newsletter for Alta Vista Staff~Week of September 16, 2019
Don't Forget! Next Week's Calendar
- Ms. Mendoza's Baby Shower on Monday, September 16 at 3:30 pm in Library!!
- Vertical Math Planning (1/2 Day) on Tuesday, September 17 from 12-4 pm with Mr. A
- ELL Toolkit (Listening & Speaking) on Tuesday, September 17 at 4 pm, Mountainview Elementary
- Blended Learning Meeting on Tuesday, September 17 at 4:30 pm at Admin Building Conference Room
- ELAR Adoption Webinar in library on Tuesday, September 17 at 4:00 pm
- Faculty Meeting on Wednesday, September 18
- PLCs on Thursday, September 19
- Technology Update Form due by Friday, September 20 (see below)
- Mentor Orientation/Work Day for First Presbyterian on Saturday, September 21
- Family Goal Setting Conferences all week of September 23
- Conference Late Night on Tuesday, September 23 until 7:30 pm. Pizza and salad will be provided for staff!
- End 1st Six Weeks/Grades due on Friday, September 27
Coming Up: RtI A-Z Meetings with all teachers during the week of September 30
Captain's Log
First Presbyterian will be having a work day at Alta Vista on Saturday, September 21. If you have anything you would like help with, please email me (IE: cutting out laminating, bulletin board, assembling folders, etc).
RtI A-Z Meetings will be with Mrs. Helton during week of October 1. During this meeting, we will tier all students and discuss intervention plans. Please click the link below to schedule your meeting (required for all teachers/teams): https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1o7xDrMWCfAlq5H1fjp1KBi48R0w2Lu55iRmaVSXf4fk/edit?usp=sharing
We HIGHLY RECOMMEND that all ESL teachers attend the ELL Toolkit on Tuesday because of the focus on listening and speaking. This is our weakest area on ELL testing. See flier below and sign up in Eduphoria.
Make sure lesson plans are in personal planner. Don't forget to include how you are differentiating for different student groups, including ESL/Bilingual (Think about ELPS!). Include what formative assessment tools you are using to gauge student understanding.
Goal Setting Conference
You can use this template (Make A Copy to Google Drive): https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1M2ZwXKdJ9PsXpqhapBPnI11s_1LHGo6p_uDy_oIr4Uo/edit?usp=sharing
Here is the goal setting conference form to use with families: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1aybVVcpRx7JQ1UAwh5Yfm5vnCrrNwsDY0qUWXdPkZO4
Here are some other sample data forms: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ApNZ31h-sJ-nRVaUt4ywjqxDq9pAVMxZ7vetLZeB9x4
Conscious Discipline & CHAMPS
Our focus for the month of September in Morning Meetings will be RESPECT. Lesson plans are here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CKGLd2hn8dPg2xRt1t3awHEEbzsZ7uApYstsxw2me1w/edit?usp=sharing
Required activities for the month are starting our year-long kindness challenge on September 16 (with Kindness "Tree").
Technology
Ms. Boggess will be doing a visual check on all devices once NWEA Map testing is complete.
Please complete the technology survey (link below) so that we can plan better professional development and order the types of technology that you want to use in the classroom. Complete ASAP! https://forms.gle/UcSQaNrAQHA9teBz9
Fact Fluency Assessments
Remember that you should be doing a 5-10 minute daily fact fluency lesson each day in math. Here's the skill focus for September.
Kindergarten: Numbers to 5
1st Grade: +1 Facts and Turnarounds (Example: 2 + 1 and 1 + 2)
2nd Grade: +1 Facts and Turnarounds (Example: 2 + 1 and 1 + 2)
3rd-5th Grade: Review of Addition Facts
At the end of each month, you should be doing an assessment (except grades 3-5 until November). Here are the links to the assessments. These assessments are very short but should be done 1:1 in order to assess what strategy students are using to solve the problem.
Multiplication Fluency Assessments: https://drive.google.com/open?id=10m7uP33y1gfkdYU8ZnxxLOwXMFFixdBrR1t48z_XpqA
PLCs
ELAR Textbook Adoption Information & Training
- How to get started planning
- How to find module lessons
- Walk through teacher’s guides
- Module Tab review
- Week at a Glance
- Lessons that go with the week
- Teaching PAL
- Explore ED (online)
- Resources
- Professional Learning – video
- PLG download
There are several other parts to HMH, but we will be slowly working with teachers on other parts throughout the year. Teachers and campuses are welcome to start exploring all the parts and implementing what works for them. Sign in to HMH online is available through Clever. Please let Paul Mach know if you are not able to get on.
When you receive your new adoption, you are welcome to unbox it, but keep materials together. The district will be coming to barcode all the materials, so they need to be easily accessible.
Staff of the Week
Congratulations to Mrs. Olivarez for being our STAFF OF THE WEEK. She has been working closely with Mrs. Spark to develop and implement engaging library lessons that students love.
5th Grade Quilt
PK Names & Portraits
3rd Grade Science
Branching Minds To-Dos
GT Nominations
The process for GT nominations has changed slightly to please read carefully. All questionnaires, except the Nomination Form, must be completed digitally using Google forms this year.
Resources for nominations: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/108WZ9JV6AxoCl_DlFTIRRx4_ESvXGPAL?usp=sharing
Steps:
1. Have parent give permission to test for GT using the "Nomination Form." https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oAbtziak_xOpyRzsfgM2vRHKh3m8ECejg6JTU-2kxw4/edit?usp=sharing
2. Send home the link to the digital Parent Questionnaire or provide parent with a paper copy. You will have to input the parent questionnaire answers into the digital Parent Questionnaire. bit.ly/gtnomparent
3. Complete the digital Teacher Questionnaire. http://bit.ly/gtnomteacher
4. Have your student use a computer to complete the digital Student Questionnaire. bit.ly/gtnomstudent
Dreambox
Teacher login: www.dreambox.com
School website for students: https://play.dreambox.com/login/b4aj/7uzr
School Code for the Ipad app: b4aj/7uzr
Resources for Motivation: https://insight.dreambox.com/dbl-resources
Introducing to your Class: https://www.dreambox.com/assets/dashboard/introducing-dreambox-to-your-students.pdf
How Students Login: https://support.dreambox.com/s/article/How-Students-Log-In-to-DreamBox-on-a-Computer-School-Account
See chart below for campus expectations for usage. If you need any help getting going, please talk to Mrs. Helton.
NWEA MAP Testing
Before testing starts, you need to watch the short video below and then view the 2 learning modules discussed in the video.
Math & Science Vertical Planning Days
Math Planning Dates (Grades K-5): September 17, October 28, December 10, February 18
Science Planning Date (Grades 3-5 Only): October 15, November 12, January 10, February 19
Please work with Ms. Bonnie to secure subs for these days (grades 3-5 only). Grades K-2 will use the aides assigned to their grade level.
Box Cards & One Eyed Jacks Training for Math Coming November 14
Grades 3-5 Training: 8 am - 11 am
Grades K-2 Training: 12 pm - 3 pm
You will need to create a 1/2 Day School Business Absence in TEAMS (7:45-11:45 or 11:45-3:45). Please work with Ms. Bonnie to secure subs. The subs in the morning will be able to cover the afternoon classes for the lower grades (if you don't have an aid in your room).