The Black Bear Corner
January 20-24
#AIMHIGH
Hello Black Bear Family!
ACAP Item Specs Practice
With the various testing windows fastly approaching, it is critical that our students are practicing the ACAP Item Specs provided for our benefit. Although we are one-to-one, we can not take for granted that our students will be able to navigate the system adequately.
2020-21 Registration
The counselors will begin registering our students within the next month. Registration will be completed via our Social Studies classes. Please try to be flexible with our counselors as they prepare for registration and testing.
Thank you for all that you do!
Mrs. Clarke
Friendly Reminder... Non-negotiables
Dr. Douglas (Superintendent)
- Bell to bell instruction.
- Standards must be taught
- Tier II Instruction
- Own the Data
- Love your students
Mrs. Clarke's Expectations
- Students should always be first!
- Build relationships (help to remove barriers)
- Engage parents in their child's educational process (minimum of 5 contacts per month)
- Improve student achievement
- Utilize your data
- Remove "menial activities"
- All teachers should be on during class change! (students line up and teachers lead them into the hallway.
- Movies should only be shown if directly related to instruction. Please seek approval first!
Strategic Teaching Update...
Your classes will be observed for Student Friendly Outcomes, Before Strategies, and After Strategies on January 29. Our school team will be joined by district representatives to observe your implementation of the Strategic Teaching Model. The implementation of each stage is to serve our students. As soon as feedback is given, reports will be placed in your mailboxes. If instructional adjustments need to made, I will personally meet with you.
Please remember that your SFO's should be measurable, provide evidence that the students understand the purpose behind the lesson, and is working toward mastery of standards. Furthermore, I encourage all of you to be thoughtful and intentional in your Before and After Strategies. It is important to consider the diverse backgrounds of your students as you introduce lessons with the intent of helping all students make personal connections.
Future dates:
January 21 - Strategic Teaching Turn-around Faculty Meeting @ 3:45pm
January 29 - Strategic Teaching Walkthrough
February 18 - Strategic Teaching Turn-around Faculty Meeting @ 3:45pm
March 14 - Strategic Teaching Walkthrough
March 12 - Strategic Teaching Training @ DMS (select teachers & administration)
Common Assessment Meetings... Select Teachers (January 16 - 22)
In an effort to streamline our process to equitably assess all students, we will begin implementing common assessments this semester. I realize that this process will not be simple, but in order to improve student achievement, we must be more intentional when covering the standards, assessing the standards and providing effective feedback. I have included a link below to provide more insight on the task ahead. I ask that you take the time to review the videos at your earliest convenience.
https://learn.teachingchannel.com/video/common-formative-assessment
Each Content-area department will be given a full day of PD to accomplish this task and more if necessary. Please know that ample support will be given to complete the assigned task. Considering a lack of resources and information on how growth and proficiency will be measured on the ACAP, we must make a "good faith" effort to self-monitor.
PD Dates: (Please secure your subs!)
January 21 - Math
January 22 - Science
[Meeting Locations: 6th Grade - Higgins’ Room & 7th Grade - Data Room]
Standards Audit Requirements...Select Teachers (January 21 - 23)
An email has been sent to all core teachers with scheduled times for our Standards Audit meetings. Considering the lack of resources and information on how growth and proficiency will be measured this year, we must make a "good faith effort" to self-monitor.
Standards Audit
1. Which standards have you covered thus far and the dates of coverage? [Refer to lesson plans]
2. What was the average of your classes for the standards covered? [Refer to Gradebook]
3. List the students that did not master the standards that you have covered.
4. If a student did not master a standard/skill, what action did you take to address that issue?
Please make plans to discuss individual students. I am also requesting that you provide me a copy of your data (email or paper) prior to your meeting for review. If you have any questions, please let me know.
Upcoming Events....
January 20 - iReady Diagnostic window is open
January 16 - 22 - Common Assessment Meetings (select teachers)
January 20 - No School
January 21 - ACCESS Testing Window opens
January 21 - Strategic Teaching Turn-around Meeting @ 3:45pm (all faculty)
January 22 - MS/HS Curriculum Guide Meeting @ Career Tech Ctr @ 2:30pm (Clarke & Higgins)
January 21 -23 - Standards Audit
January 23 - Key Leaders Network (Johnson)
January 24 - Million Word Readers Lunch @ 11:30am
January 27 - Tech Training (during planning) Data Room
January 28 - AMS Data Meeting @ CO (Clarke)
January 29 - Strategic Teaching Walkthrough
January 30 - Walkthrough #3 Window closes
January 30 & 31 - Current 6th Grader Registration
Congratulations Future City Students! (Mrs. Fleischauer)
Congratulations 7th Grade Boys Middle School Tournament Champions! (Coach Desmond Phillips)
Congratulations 7th Grade Girls Middle School - 2nd Place (Coach Burks & Coach Thompson)
Austin Middle School
Email: ams@dcs.edu
Location: 2715 Danville Road Southwest, Decatur, AL, USA
Phone: (256) 552-4622