DLT Weekly Update
February 19th, 2024
AASA National Conference on Education 2024
Greetings DLT,
I trust you have had a nice long weekend with sunny winter days to enjoy. This morning I returned to the island after attending AASA's annual National Conference on Education in San Diego. The conference days were packed to the hilt, with some really excellent conference sessions, roundtables, thought partner workhops and keynote speakers. The theme of the conference, "Here for the Kids", focused on a variety of topics related to to the importance of learner-centered leadership, student voice, and student safety and well-being. It was a reminder of our "clientele", so to speak, and how it is essential to keep them at the forefront of every discussion and every decision. I meet some great district leaders from all over the country and came back with some great ideas that I want to share with you all. The keynote speakers were excellent; one was on AI and the necessity for the adults to learn AI and help students learn to use AI as an incredibly beneficial tool, as it is the true wave of the future. Another keynote focused on school safety and was delivered from a Sandy Hook parent who last her daughter in the shooting. Finally, the last day's keynote had to do with taking a page from Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood by allowing children to be creative, curious, and inquisitive in their learning. I will certainly share more at our next School Committee meeting and with DLT on Tuesday.
Also, if you are interested in looking at my notes from the sessions I attended, feel free to peruse my AASA Conference Notes.
2024-25 Professional Development Planning and DLT Meetings
Based on the PD Planning presentation that Mandy and Mellisa shared with you on February 6 during the DlT Admin meeting, Each school/department should have a Draft PD Framework for next year by tomorrow's DLT meeting. We will go into much more detail at our DLT meeting for Admin Only on Monday, March 4 so that there is a little more time to be thoughtful in your school or department planning as well as the overall PD planning for district days. Here are the instructions for how to fill out the Draft PD Framework as shared with you in the presentation:
Use the template linked here
Think about vehicles for PD (available to you) rather than dates - this about how to build cycles of learning (e.g., ½ day followed by 2 EWDs)
Link to all 3 PD Threads (5 foci) - it is possible to combine some of the foci together
Please be ready to share your school/district Draft PD Framework tomorrow.
To review the FY25 PD Planning presentation from February 6, click here.
DLT Meeting on February 20
Tomorrow we will meet as a full team for DLT. Here is the agenda. Please take a look, as we have a packed agenda! The timekeeper will have their hands full at keeping us moving along. Reminder that for this meeting, we will have Andrew Viselli with us again right at 3:15 to lead 15 minutes of guided meditation and breathwork. As I mention in the agenda, if you arrive late, please wait outside quietly until everyone finishes. The next DLT meeting on March 4 will be an important one: we will be revisiting 2024-25 PD Planning and the new Ed Eval Rubrics to be adopted in 2024-25.
Congrats to our English Learners on Completing ACCESS Testing!
I am glad to announce that we have successfully completed another year of the ACCESS for ELLs testing for our English Learners. Congrats, Barbara, on getting through our first official ACCESS administration here in Nantucket! I know that Barbara will be speaking with admin teams at each school to get feedback on this year's procedure and if/how we need to make changes for next year's testing.
Upcoming School Committee Meetings
NOTE: There have been some changes to the attendance schedule for the next meetings:
Tuesday, February 20, 2024 - Martin, Alicia, Barbara, Joanne
March 5, 2024 - Principals, APs, Travis, Matt, Chip, Mellisa, Mandy B.
NEW: March 12, 2024 - WORKSHOP (No DLT needed)
March 19, 2024 - Principals, Deb, Michelle, Sherri, Martin
April 2, 2024 - Martin, Chip, Mellisa, Mandy B., Travis, Matt
Here is the Horizon for tomorrow's School Committtee meeting.
Important Dates - February/March
February 19 - Presidents Day - NO SCHOOL
February 20 - DLT Meeting; School Committee Meeting
February 21 - NHS School Council; ACK-SEPAC
February 26 - March 1 - WINTER BREAK
March 4 - DLT Meeting
March 5 - School Committee Meeting
March 8 - NHS Quarter 4 Mid-Term
March 9 - SAT Testing
Superintendent's Calendar, February 20 - 23
8:30 am - Facilities Check-in meeting (Beth and Chip)
9:00 am - NHS Admin Check-in meeting (Beth, Mandy V, Tracy, Jenn)
10:00 am - TON Housing meeting (Beth, select TON Cabinet members)
11:00 am - CPS Oceanography Discussion with EMI (Beth, Mike, Mandy B, EMI)
12:00 pm - Special Services Check-in meeting (Beth and Deb)
1:30 pm - EL Check-in meeting (Beth and Barbara)
3:15 pm - DLT meeting (DLT fuill team)
6:00 pm - School Committee meeting
Wednesday, February 21
ALL DAY - CPS Principal Shadow Day
8:30 am - CPS Admin Check-in meeting (Beth, Mike, Adriene)
Thursday, February 22
8:15 am - NES Whole School Meeting
9:00 am - Athletics Check-in meeting (Beth and Travis)
10:00 am - NPS/Maria Mitchell meeting (Beth, Mandy B., MMA rep)
10:30 am - Nantucket Housing Stakeholders meeting
1:00 pm - NPS Directors Meeting (Beth, Barbara, Deb, Mandy B, Mellisa)
Friday, February 23
9:00 am - EL Director/Coach Check-in meeting (Beth, Barbara, Kathryn N)\
10:00 am - Registrar Check-in meeting (Beth and Sarah)
11:00 am - NPS/Finalsite/Supts' Collaborative (Beth, Mandy B., Mellisa, Finalsite rep)