#WEBUSY
--Keep the communication flowing-- September 16, 2016--
Certificated Evaluation Schedule
Thanks.
Classroom Visits
Administrators may use i-Pads and Progress Adviser to document a visit and provide teachers with feedback from our informal, quick check-ins. If you see us with an i-Pad clicking away, please know that our notes will be emailed to you within 24 hours of the visit. I tried it this week on a "demo teacher" and one practice walk-through generated an immediate email while another generated the email 12 hours later. Go figure, technology? The emails are not warm and fuzzy in their design--emojis can't be added to celebrate our amazement of our observations.
The Progress Adviser will help us calibrate our visits and feedback in addition to documenting our visits for Dr. Franklin. Progress Adviser is a pilot program at select TUSD schools this year and is designed to help administration with our practices.
Visitors to THS - September 28th
The purpose of their visit is to gauge where teachers are in the following areas:
1) Using TUSD units of study in math
2) Shifting teaching to more of a student centered approach, pushing the cognitive load out to students
3) ELA teachers and writing instruction, continuing the work from the August 25 PD day
4) Transition to NGSS
Please continue with your regularly scheduled instruction. I am confident in the work you are doing in aligning to TUSD & THS goals!
October 19th - College Assessment Day
Much thanks go to the counselors, administrative team and site TEA representatives for working on a schedule for October 19th that honors the contract agreements regarding prep periods AND supporting our school wide college going culture.
It was agreed to make October 19th a modified day with students attending from 7:45 - 12:15 p.m. to take the tests. No class periods will occur. Students will be assigned to CCR classes for test administration....much more will follow on the particulars.
Teachers will work their regularly scheduled 6 3/4 hour day. After student dismissal, teaching staff will have their 30 minute duty free lunch followed by preparation/collaboration time.
The instructional minutes will be "swapped" to offer the minimum day by making November 16th a regular bell schedule. It was previously slated as a late start Wednesday.
Much more information will follow for this incredible day!
Minimum Day - Friday!
Illuminate Password
username: cmatos
password: gotillers
Facilities Update
Library Backyard/Lunch Area - We continue to work with M & O and contractors to update student areas. The next project (fingers crossed) will be the Library Backyard and planter boxes (dirt) area near the Student Store. We are hoping to resurface the area with cement and more artificial turf.
Lambert Fields - Work continues with projected opening of the turf/softball fields in early Spring.
Campus Beautification - please reinforce with students to use trashcans and toss gum into trash containers to protect our cement work. We would hate to rename walkways with "pok-a-dot alley."