Bella Vista Staff Bulletin
09/15/2014 v.1 issue 3
Quote of the Week
“I tell students that the opportunities I had were a result of having a good educational background. Education is what allows you to stand out.”
Dr. Ellen Ochoa, Director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center and the first Latina in spaceWe Learn!
Balanced Literacy Corner
- Independent Reading: As we begin Week 4 of school, Independent Reading should be up and running in all classrooms. Teachers should contact Ms. Seaberg when their students have met the goal for the first trimester (see the We Achieve section). The first class in each grade-level band to reach the goal will receive special recognition!
- Guided Reading: Teachers should meet with at least one Guided Reading group per day in grades 1-5, ensuring that all students meet weekly for small group literacy instruction.
- Writing Workshop: Most classrooms should be focusing on small moments personal narrative writing. (Kindergarten students are learning that they are writers and have pictures and stories in their heads.) Lesson plans should reflect Writing Workshop for a minimum of 40 minutes per day.
Hispanic Heritage Month
- The period of September 15 – October 15 is designated by Congress as a time to celebrate the contributions of Latinos in the United States.
- Wondering what you can do to honor Latino heritage? Start first by partnering with families of Latino students on in-class activities that they can help plan and organize. You can also visit the following Websites for inspiration:
- American Federation of Teachers
- National Education Association
- Scholastic
- Smithsonian
- Time for Kids
We Live!
Schoolwide Expectations for Positive Behavior
Schoolwide Expectations for Positive Behavior
- Interested in showing the PBIS videos from last week’s assemblies in your classroom? Visit these links to watch the students from Mark Twain School:
- Bathrooms
- Hallways
- Cafeteria
- Recess (These are YouTube videos, which require you to use your OUSD employee login to gain access)
- We are making progress in the cafeteria! Students are beginning to meet expectations related to noise and movement. The next area for improvement is table cleanliness. Teachers can help by assigning students as table monitors; they will be responsible for making sure that their tables are clean before leaving the cafeteria.
Student Enrollment Update
- As of September 12, there are 56 SDC students and 419 non-SDC students enrolled at Bella Vista. We are officially under-enrolled by 39 students based on our staffing of 18 Gen Ed teachers. Here are some enrollment highlights:
- Combination classes are gone for General Ed students! We now have two 1st grade classes, three 2nd grade classes, and three 3rd grade classes.
- We are compliant with the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) maximum class size requirement. Across grades TK-3, the average class size is less than 24 students.
- The funding and staffing implications of being under-enrolled will be discussed at the September 15 Faculty Meeting for all teachers and other OEA members.
We Achieve!
California English Language Development Test (CELDT) Administration
- The CELDT is the statewide annual assessment for English Learners; it measures the progress of English Learners in acquiring the skills of listening speaking, reading and writing in English.
- There are 182 students in grades 1-5 at Bella Vista that need to take the CELDT between September 15 and October 24.
- Teachers in grades 2-5 (usually one per grade level) will administer the group testing for the CELDT Listening, Reading and Writing domains. Ms. Seaberg and Ms. Yin will administer most of the individual assessments for Speaking in grades 2-5 as well as the first grade assessments.
Student of the Month Assemblies
- A long-standing tradition here at Bella Vista, the Student of the Month assemblies recognize students for excellence and achievement.
- We will affirm our school motto when identifying students for recognition:
- We Learn – for students demonstrating significant academic effort/improvement (regardless of the short-term outcome)
- We Live – for students whose actions help improve/sustain a positive school climate
- We Achieve – for students who demonstrate superior academic achievement or who consistently embody the Social and Emotional Learning competencies and the Bella Vista Oath of Respect
- All staff members are invited to nominate Students of the Month. Later this week Ms. Phillips will send a link to a Google spreadsheet so that everyone can nominate students.
- Nominations are due on Tuesday, September 23 and the assemblies will be held on Friday, September 26.
Annual Independent Reading Contest
Independent Reading is a key component of a Balanced Approach to Literacy. It enables students to foster an enjoyment of reading, allows teachers to meet with guided reading groups and confer individually with students. The goals for Independent Reading for the first trimester are listed below. If your class meets or exceeds these goals already, see Ms. Seaberg for a special recognition.
- K-1 Independent reading contest 15 min goal for 1st trimester
- 2-3 Independent Reading contest 25 min goal for 1st trimester
- 4-5 independent reading contest 35+ min goal for 1st trimester
Announcements and Reminders
- Thank you, teachers of students in grades 1-3, for your spirit of collaboration and compromise during the class size balancing process!
- Chau Nguyen is now on maternity leave; she will return in January. We welcome back Karen Chin as the long-term substitute for the second graders in Portable O.
- REMINDER: Effective Monday, September 15, all OUSD employees must use their OUSD Email account. Contact the Help Desk at 510-879-8178 for assistance.
- REMINDER: All teachers being evaluated this year must submit their 2-3 Standards and Objectives of Performance forms by Thursday, September 18.
- UPDATE: The EBAYC Small Wonders after school program will begin on Wednesday, October 1.
- All visitors on campus must first report to the office, and family members who remain in classrooms after 9:00 must have a visitor’s pass; there are no exceptions!
Upcoming Events
THIS WEEK
Mon., Sept. 15
- CELDT begins
- LESSON PLANS DUE: Chen, Garcia, Hansen, V. Nguyen, O’Brien, Rajanikanth, Schooling, Stone, Thai, Tai, Klintong, Ung
- 9:30 Day 15 Enrollment Count
- 2:55 Mandatory Faculty Meeting for All OEA Members (room 11)
Tues., Sept. 16
- Instrumental music classes begin for 4th and 5th grade students.
Weds., Sept. 17
- 2:00 PEC Professional Learning (locations TBD)
- 2:15 Teacher Professional Learning – Literacy Cycle of Inquiry (rm 11)
- 5:00 Back to School Night
Thurs., Sept. 18
- OEA Standards and Objectives of Performance Forms Are Due
- 4:00 Teacher Leader Collaborative (various locations)
Fri., Sept. 19
- Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Training Day 1 (deVera, Garcia & Phillips off campus)
Sat., Sept. 20
- PBIS Training Day 2
NEXT WEEK
Mon., Sept. 22
Street Sweeping
- LESSON PLANS DUE: Cho, Chu, Lee, C. Nguyen, Prchlik, Quach, Smith, Takeuchi, Webb, Yang, Xiao
- 9:30 Day 20 Enrollment Count
Tues., Sept. 23
Street Sweeping
- 9:00 Fire Drill
- 3:00 Instructional Leadership Team Meeting (room 11)
Weds., Sept. 24
- 2:15 Teacher Professional Learning – Mini-PD Sessions (locations TBD)
Thurs., Sept. 25
- Principals' Meeting (Ms. Phillips is off campus)
- 5:30 PTA Kickoff Meeting/Spaghetti Dinner (Auditorium)
Fri., Sept. 26
- Student of the Month Assemblies (Auditorium)
- 12:10 Grades TK-K
- 12:45 Grades 3-5
- 1:45 Grades 1-2
Bella Vista Elementary School
Website: tinyurl.com/bellavistaoakland
Location: 1025 East 28th Street, Oakland, CA, United States
Phone: 510-436-4900