Weekly Announcements
December 21
Have a wonderful break!
A special thank you to Krista for organizing the Giving Tree! It was such a nice feeling to walk into the staff room and see all of the wrapped gifts, knowing that they were going to make so many of our families smile! Our staff is amazing!
I am so glad that I came to Raleigh Hills! You all are a wonderful team and you make coming to work fun!
Enjoy these two videos from some of your favorite folks! Have an awesome winter break!
Smarter Balanced Updates
Smarter Balanced Practice tests are now available. These practice tests provide an opportunity for STCs, teachers, and students to familiarize themselves with the navigation and functionality of the online tests, as well as with the embedded accessibility supports. They can be accessed through the secure OAKS browser 8.0. Please contact you CST if the 8.0 browser is not loaded on computers.
The Smarter Balanced Consortium has voted to remove the classroom activity as a required precursor of the Smarter Balanced performance tasks for Mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA). Review by the consortium determined that the majority of performance tasks contain sufficient scaffolding and embedded accessibility supports so that they can stand alone, without the necessity for a pre-test classroom activity. Performance tasks that could not adequately stand alone have been eliminated. Removal of the classroom activity will reduce test time and simplify test scheduling and make-up testing. Students will continue to take the computer adaptive test and the performance task without the classroom activity.
FYI
K-5 Science
Plan Your Interactive Science Instruction: Next Round of 1st-5th Grade Interactive Science Kit Materials in Buildings January 4th-March 7th and Support Resources for Science Instruction on TeacherSource Elementary Science Page
The next round of science kit bins will be delivered to schools over the winter break so that science instruction can begin on Monday, January 5th for the next rotation. View the linked 2015-16 Elementary Science Kit Rotation to see which unit bins your school will be receiving. PYP, Expeditionary Learning and STEM Schools should complete the survey at the attached PYP, EL, STEM NGSS Needs link if you have not identified your kit support needs. Additional resources for Interactive Science, including codes for accessing the digital pathway, sample year-long plan for mapping out the year of science, kit pack lists, copies of all of the pacing/modifications for each lesson, rubrics, and a video of a training session on registering online and using the classroom management system can be found on the TeacherSource Elementary Science page. (This information will be sent to all 1st-5th science teachers.)Plan Your Kindergarten Science Instruction: Next Round of Kindergarten NGSS Science Kit Materials in Buildings January 11th-March 15th and Force and Motion Unit Link
The next round of kindergarten science materials bins will be delivered to schools by January 8th so that science instruction can begin on January 11th for the next rotation. View the linked Beaverton Kindergarten Force and Motion Unit Storyline Overview. Individual daily plans and activity sheet resources will be linked soon. Training sessions on the force and motion unit will be at the end of January and beginning of February. (This information will be sent to all kindergarten teachers.)Middle School Wellness Survey
Student Wellness Survey
The Oregon Student Wellness Survey (SWS) assesses school climate and the behavioral health of Oregon youth in grades 6, 8, and 11. The SWS assesses factors that influence student success such as school climate, supportive parents and teachers, commitment to school, and positive youth development. It also examines risk factors like mental and emotional health, substance use, and gambling. In addition, the survey provides information about antisocial behaviors at school such as bullying, fighting, and truancy.
It is a paper survey that will take students 45 minutes or less to complete.
SWS is preparing a communication for parents and guardians including information and consent procedures.
Click on the related links to view more information about the survey.
Middle School ELA
ELA Reading Cadre With Penny Kittle
On Wednesday January 21, reading expert Penny Kittle will present to the ELA Secondary Cadre at the NWRESD from 8-3. Attendance has been opened up for 2-3 additional ELA/Humanities teachers to join for a day of learning focused on teaching reading at the secondary level. Penny presented earlier this year to our ELA cadre and made a significant impact on teachers and administrators in attendance. We would also welcome any administrators to attend any portion of the day you are available.