Kleckner's Korner
May 10, 2021
Boot Camp!
I love how 5th grade math has taken it a step further and noted how MANY students in each class it takes to meet the goal (not required)! Check out the growth mindset wording they're using with their students too! I've noticed a growth mindset around the building and I love it! Feel free to go that route, actual scores are okay too. You decide what's best for your students.
Don't forget to send your students to the goal cart when they reach their goals! We're keeping it full!
Intersession Help Needed - Contacting Parents
Kinder - 5th teachers - We have been contacting the families of students you recommended for June Intersession via skyward. Now we need your help in in contacting parents though a phone call or Remind/Dojo/etc explaining why it's important to attend Intersession and confirming they will be attending.
Intersession is an intense two week summer program designed to support mastery of current grade level material and prepare students for the fall.
June 14 – 24 from 8AM to 12PM (No school on Friday, June 18)
Here is a link to our spreadsheet to document the parents' response. Please have parents contacted by May 14th.
PLCs
We will not be meeting for the next 2 weeks giving you time to update data trackers, call parents about intersession and EOY failures.
All data trackers need to be updated with end of year (MAP, DRA, STAAAR) data before May 26th. Blair and Mercedes - your DRA data will be due by June 2nd since you are DRA testing on the 26th and 27th.
Wednesday, May 26th - looking at STAAR data to plan out small groups for next year, if all data is available. Potentially discussing next year schedules.
Wednesday, June 2nd - planning out intervention groups for next year using MAP, DRA and STAAR data.
Wednesday, June 9th - District Professional Development
May 11th Faculty Meeting - Campus Needs Assessment
It's that time of year to reflect on what our data is telling us and evaluate our Campus Needs. Our May 11 faculty meeting has been set aside for committees to work on the Questions for Consideration and the strength/needs statements. We will meet on our PLC Google Meet and then I'll set up break out rooms.
Dyslexia Update - Reflection Required
Thank you so much for attending the Dyslexia update. As we close out the school year, here are a few important reminders from our in-house expert, Ann Atherton.
Dyslexia is a specific learning disability characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent reading/word recognition and/or spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction.
Pre-K/K - difficulty learning to talk, mispronouncing words, poor auditory memory of chants, nursery rhymes.
1st-3rd - Difficulty segmenting, blending, manipulating sounds in words (decoding) and difficulty spelling (encoding)
4th-5th - Avoids reading (some behaviors may increase with this frustration), avoids complicated words when writing.
Reading and Writing does not develop naturally for them. Explicit instruction (direct and systematic) is critical for reading, writing, word recognition, and comprehension.
Instructions may need to be repeated multiple times, as the language is processed differently. Have patience and allow students extra time to complete assignments. Students may benefit from having a copy of class notes already, instead of copying from the board.
“Progression through tiered intervention is not required in order to begin the identification of dyslexia.”
“The use of a tiered intervention process should not delay or deny an evaluation for dyslexia, especially when parent or teacher observations reveal the common characteristics of dyslexia.”
The Dyslexia Handbook, 2018
After watching this video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zafiGBrFkRM, on Dyslexia, complete the reflection located on this Google form, https://forms.gle/AevpdjZfUzcZ8HHeA
Jaunts from Jocelyn
I'm placing STAAR Test Administrator manuals in your mailboxes this afternoon. Training does not take the place of reading the manual. All faculty involved with test administration must read the manual. Here is a link to an online version for your convenience.
Link to the training powerpoint for duty assignments and other important information. We are still working on small groups, specials, monitoring and lunches. Stay tuned and we'll have the information to you soon.
Comments from the Counselor
Counselor Information:
- Career Day- May 27th: I’m still waiting on availability feedback from some speakers. I don’t want to scare them away, so being a little patient for now. Shooting for next week to finalize your schedules.
- Career Day Guidance : What kind of SMART are you? We are learning about different strengths that could lead to discussions about what types of jobs we choose based on our strengths and skills.
- Guidance in general: This is the last lesson for your class! Your lessons seem to have been more cohesive in your rooms vs. coming to counseling office, I would like to continue this next year. If you do not like this idea, please let me know!
Confirmed Career day speakers so far:
Software engineers, other various engineers,
Lawyers,
Dallas Cowboys chef,
Architect,
Martial Arts instructor
State Parks person
Police officer
Food Bank –NTFB
Non-profit work for Hope Positive Africa
Possible others we’re still ironing out details, needing confirmation:
Stage manager
GRCTC environmental protection class
GISD Security team
Entrepreneur
Small Business Owner
Detective
Social Worker
Substance from Selena....
DRA Reminders:
Here is link to the data sheet; please send it to me as soon as you have it completed. If you have any questions about levels for remote students, let me know, and we can meet. We will use their MAP scores. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14E5o_Uuto7iaHmTPZQeHQDzhIeApy1JDm-oFyobsUDY/copy
- Teachers will record only 3 points for each student:
- In-person or Remote
- Independent Reading Level
- Fiction/Nonfiction (for in-person students only)
Here are some exciting Summer PD sessions: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1K3GMl7Necc7rz4ImlQ6McfZ6JrshtSP730JazvoR6lQ/edit?usp=sharing
From Farmer Kim:
There are so many ladybugs in the garden right now. This may be a good visual for teachers to take kids out and look for the stages. I am sure that they could find them. (Eggs are usually on the backs of leaves.)
ENotes from Esther
Please remind your remote students that we will be MAP testing May 10th and 11th, ask them to arrive promptly at 8:15 and 12:15 to ensure that they have enough time to finish.
Reminders:
1069's for April were due 5/7/2021, and the May 1069's will be due on May 21st, please be sure to have this completed on time as I will need to have them printed and filed by May 25th.
All students should have completed their Monthly (MAY) I-station test no later than Friday (5/7/21), if your students have not completed their test please have them do so ASAP. Remember this data is used to complete their 1069's and the I-station report will be put in their Cum Folders.
As we are in our last days weeks of MAP testing please continue to use the link to help manage your student's testing status and add any notes needed.
Shout Outs! - YAY WE HAVE SOME :)
- Nurse Linsey - Thank you for all you have done to make our garden so successful and wonderful! - from Mrs. Lawrence
- Ines - Our second round of partner talk practice went great! Her class did a wonderful job responding back in complete sentences and restating what their partners said. - from Mrs. Lawrence
- 3rd Grade Team - Partner talk and sentence stems in small groups to practice high-need TEKS, plus some great growth showing up in MAP already! - from Mrs. Lawrence
- The person who fixed my clock! I think it's one of the custodians!I want to say thank you so much for always coming to my aid! You fix things right away and I always feel confident to ask you for anything! You help me during lunch duty too! - from Miss Loza
Weekly Administrative Information Packet
1. Access Card Guidelines - Information
2. End of Semester Canvas and Seesaw Action Steps - ALL TEACHERS
3. FinPath Financial Wellness Program May Virtual Workshop - Information
4. iCon 2021 Present with us and Featured Presenter - ALL STAFF
5. Save the Date - June 9th Professional Development Day - ALL TEACHERS
6. Student Access to Google Classroom ENDING June 9th - ALL TEACHERS
Important Dates to Remember ***Denotes New Information
May
***11 - Faculty Meeting - Campus Needs Assessment - All teaching staff required
13 - 5th - STAAR Science - (4th grade asynchronous)
12 - National School Nurse's Day
14 - 3rd and 4th - STAAR Reading - (K, 1, 2, 5 - asynchronous)
18 - 5th - STAAR Math (3rd grade asynchronous)
19 - 5th - STAAR Reading (3rd and 4th asynchronous)
21 - 3rd and 4th - STAAR Math (K, 1, 2, 5 asynchronous)
21 - Last day of Library - EXCEPT 5th grade specials rotations
***24 - BOGO Bookfair starts
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.