Kleckner's Korner
April 19, 2021
Boot Camp is Coming Up! Are You Ready?
Military.com shared that there is one thing you need to accomplish any goal...Preparation. Here are the things they say to think about when preparing for the military (for us...STAAR):
1. What are the standards you have to achieve? (TEKs for us!)
2. What are your current levels of abilities? (Interim/MAP/DOL scores)
3. What are your weaknesses? (Learning Continuum/Data Trackers)
4. Mission Planning to prepare yourself. (PLCs/STAAR Plans)
5. Persistence to Keep Working Toward a Goal (BOOTCAMP) <----this is where our kids enter
They go on to say (and I've changed it to put it in terms of how our kids need to start thinking as they go through boot camp)
Regardless of your goal, the new saying in your head should be, "exceeding the standard IS the standard." Compete with yourself to make yourself better in whatever stepping stone to your goal you have to manage. In the end, it is your persistence that will win and you will find that your motivation, persistence, and good habits have become discipline.
Each year, we have campus goals we aim for that are based on our previous year's data. These past two years our goals have carried forward due to COVID but we all know that we are a bit away from where we were two years ago BUT we MUST still have goals. After looking at BOY MAP, MOY MAP and Interim Data I've established goals for our 3rd - 5th grades in Math and Reading. This is the goal EVERY KID should aim for as they are completing EVERY DOL/exit ticket/daily assignment/weekly test/etc... It's not going to get us to where we were two years ago but it will get us to our next stepping stone (1 of 3 before the end of the school year)...STAAR 2021. The other two will be #2 STAAR to Intersession and #3 is two weeks of intersession. After that we start full speed ahead to gaining back our B campus!
Below are goals I've planned out - if you think these are outrageous come and chat with me, we can look over the data and talk - I'm not the guy behind the magical green curtain. :). If you don't understand the goal come and chat too, I love talking about data.
Kinder though 2nd grade - these goals should be for you too! Although you are not part of STAAR directly if our kids aren't learning at the rigor of the TEKs they won't arrive at the next grade ready to move and groove. DON'T give away grades - make them earn them.
EVERY student in our school needs to be working towards the meets level. If you notice that rages from 72%-75% in math and 75-75% in English reading and 68% to 71% in Spanish reading. THESE SCORES ARE NOT UNREACHABLE. Know how I know? Just this week they released the EOY Failure report and we only have 6 students who are predicted for fail for the year. If the rigor of our DOLs/weekly assessments are on the level of the TEKs/STAAR all of our students, with their appropriate accommodations, should be at the meets level. :)
Here in the coming weeks you're going to see the school atmosphere and hallways transform into Goal Chasing, Goal Smashing Boot Camp. How can you get your students excited and engaged in Bootcamp??
WDM's this Week - Wednesday
3rd-5th this needs to be a short assessment you've given for STAAR prep (consider using Measuring Up or a test you've created from Education Galaxy)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1EF8U-oA3nIHj_su2GUP6y7-e90MA97qkSxaKTdV4y_Q/edit#gid=0
Formal TTESS Walkthroughs/Summative Conferences
June Intersession - Entering Student Names - Due MONDAY
Names are due by April 20th.
Jaunts from Jocelyn
Playground Equipment
New guidance from Health services and the CDC..
- Students use hand sanitizer before use and should always use sanitizer upon entering back into the classroom.
- Students should remain cohorted by classroom.
What that means for us. You may now use the playground equipment every day. Based on our master schedule the only overlap for grade levels is 4th and 5th grade. 5th grade should wait until fouth grade has cleared the playground before allowing students to play on equipment.
Gratitudes from Grace
All staff- Please fill out the Career Day form below. You will need to redo if you already have done so.
(This is an updated survey, so your responses were deleted).
Class Calm Down Corners Also, if you need help creating a calm down corner, I have items I can share with you and your students, and can go over the way to use the spot if needed.
If you are interested, please let me know!
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, this is a great time to remember
that we are all REQUIRED to report SUSPECTED child abuse.
Here are some useful links when talking with parents:
Social Skills Parent Questions -Guide
**We will also cover this information in guidance next week.**
Substance from Selena....
For K-2, if you haven't played around in Education Galaxy, I can't wait to show you some new features you can use to support instruction on specific TEKs with fun whole group games.
Extra's from Esther
***Please ensure that your students have completed their April I-station ISIP test**
PLEASE HELP ... We are still missing a few BOY PSMs that need to be initialed please view the MOY PSM Track sheet and continue to reach out to parents so that we can get the remaining forms returned and filed away, ALL REMAINING FORMS HAVE BEEN SENT VIRTUALLY. I am still updating the Track sheet daily as I receive initialed PSM. If you need another copy of the BOY-PSM please let me know.
*Please note the links will be expired but the system automatically resends the link after the parents try to access it.*
Weekly Administrative Information Packet
1. End of Year Circle Testing - PreK
2. Garland ISDs First English Learner Conference ELCon (information - PD Opportunity)
3. Heat Advisory Guidelines - All teachers
4. NorthPlace Church Free ESL and GED Classes - information - share with parents
5. ST Math Supplemental Resource - ALL TEACHERS - MUST READ - GREAT PROGRAM
6. Staff Prescreening - ALL STAFF
7. Teacher Incentive Allotment Expansion - Cohort D (Kim, Evan, Dahlia, Karen C....Karen N...not sure)
Important Dates to Remember ***Denotes New Information
April
***20 - Learning Meeting - DRA Training with Selena (K-4 classroom teachers and anyone else interested in learning)
21 - Early Release - afternoon District PD (after PD prep for DRA testing if you choose)
27 - Trauma Informed Care Training Part 1 (3:45-4:30) all staff plan must attend.
27 - School Bus Driver Appreciation Day
28 - CIT Meeting - Campus Improvement Team Meeting (Ines, Celia, Corina, Mercedes, Sandra, Alberto, Karen C.)
28 - 5th Grade Joe Garcia Awards
May
1 - National School Principal Day
3 - DRA Window Opens
3-7 Teacher Appreciation Week
***4 - STAAR Training - (ALL STAFF EXCEPT - ABC, PreK, Linsey, Jennifer, Jordan)
7 - School Lunch Hero Day
13 - 5th - STAAR Science - Online and Paper (4th grade asynchronous)
12 - National School Nurse's Day
14 - 3rd and 4th - STAAR Reading Online - (K, 1, 2, 5 - asynchronous)
18 - 5th - STAAR Math Online (3rd grade asynchronous)
19 - 5th - STAAR Reading Online (3rd and 4th asynchronous)
21 - 3rd and 4th - STAAR Math Online (K, 1, 2, 5 asynchronous)
21 - Last day of Library - EXCEPT 5th grade specials rotations
***27 - MAP Window Closes
***27 - Career Day
28 - Student/Staff Holiday
31 - Memorial Day - no school
June
***2 - PreK Field Day 11-12
***3 - 3rd-5th Field Day
***4 - K-2 Field Day
***4 - DRA Deadline
8 - Early Release - afternoon campus PD
9 - Full Day District Staff Development - registration opens in May
Counselor’s Corner
If you need assistance with individual concerns or counseling services, please reach out to Mrs. Medrano-Johnson at gmedranojohnson@garlandisd.net,
or fill out the following Park Crest Request for Counseling Services form.
Tools and Strategies for Online STAAR Testing
ELA
- A recording of the training can be found here.
- This link to the slide deck will provide teachers with their own copy to use as part of their test preparation instruction. The link will force you to make a copy.
- This ELAR STAAR Online Tools poster can also be used with students to prepare them for the assessment. It MAY NOT be posted during testing. USE NOW!
- Additional information regarding online test taking is available on this one-pager.
MATH
- Traci Vickery created a video provides teachers with a 20 minute explanation of the tools available for students to use during the Online Math STAAR.
- This Math STAAR Online Tools poster can also be used with students to prepare them for the assessment. It MAY NOT be posted during testing. USE NOW!
- Links to these resources can also be found on the Math Landing Pages in the Curriculum for 3rd - 5th grade.
- Additional information regarding Math online test taking is available on this one-pager.
Cyber Security Training - Required ALL Staff
All staff need to complete the Cybersecurity Awareness Training for the 2020 – 2021 school year. It’s a legal requirement by Texas House Bill (HB) 3834 to complete a certified cybersecurity training program each year.
If you are unsure if you have taken the Cyber Security Awareness Training, please visit the PII Protect website (https://www.pii-protect.com) and sign in.
If you are presented with a score once signing in, you are complete. If you are presented with text stating “Welcome to Cyber Security Awareness Training!” you have not completed the training and will need to do so.