The CIA Report
April 2018 Edition
Please take some time to read through this prior to the April 24 administrator meeting. If you have any questions, please post them in this Google Doc.
Learning Today... Feeding Your Professional Soul
This TED talk below encourages us to grow. Christopher Emdin says we should consider looking to some rather non-traditional sources of learning - rappers, a barber shop, even a Sunday church service. And while that may sound and perhaps even feel a little funny, his message is a great one.
Educators must work magic with their students. We have to engage, excite, and ignite. Without us working our magic, students aren't inspired or excited to enter our doors, nor are they inspired or excited to pursue learning beyond our doors.
And some of us don't come to the profession knowing all the magic tricks - or even any magic tricks at all. But we can learn. We can grow! Choose growth! Be magical!
Teaching & Learning
Curriculum Resource Purchasing - Elementary buildings should have heard from Jeanne regarding addition and/or movement of teachers. This responsibility has moved to our department, and Jeanne (not Janet) will be working with you to ensure that you have the curriculum items you need for your new teachers.
Elementary Grade Chair Meetings For the past 3 years we've scheduled quarterly grade chair meetings as a way to keep communication flowing more effectively. We made the promise that we would cancel the meetings if we did not need to communicate face to face, and each year we've cancelled meetings mid-year. At our most recent grade chair meeting (our last for this year) we determined that going forward two scheduled meetings a year will be sufficient. In addition, we are considering ways to make the groups smaller so the meetings feel more engaging and personal.
Curriculum The Content Leaders are wrapping up curriculum development for the year. The following will be going to the Curriculum Review Committee for review next week and will go to the Board for approval in May:
- K-9 Science (Grade 2 will actually go to the Board in July)
- Contemporary Issues (HS)
- Sports and Society (HS)
- Investigations of World Cultures & Languages (MS)
- Explorations of World Languages (MS)
- Personal Fitness (MS)
- Team Sports (MS)
- Design and Build (MS)
- Magic of Electrons (MS)
- Tech Exploration (MS)
- Media Producation (MS)
- Studio Art (MS)
- Public Speaking (HS)
- Argument and Debate (HS)
- Entrepreneurship (HS)
We anticipate the following going to the Board in July:
- Criminal Justice (HS)
- 7th Grade FACS
- Explorations in Band (MS)
- Select Chorus (MS)
- Theatre (MS)
Teaching & Learning Blog - Don't forget to check out the Teaching & Learning Blog! The Content Leaders and Margo Mann are using this tool to provide information and resources to all K-12 teachers!
Assessment
Elementary Info:
The district will not be making DRA Copies for next year- buildings will need to do this next year. Please allow for extra copies at the grade levels.
SRI Testing Window: April 9-May 18
DRA Testing Window: April 23-May 23
Please let me know if you have any new students enroll that need to be added for MAP testing
Secondary Info:
EOC Testing Window: May 8-16
SGA Testing- for semester courses only: May 7-25th
Just a reminder that we will not receive EOC scores back in enough time to give as part of a finals grade.
Professional & Program Development
PD on PD Days
What will you deliver in coordination with your DPDC and Trauma Team?Please bookmark the PD Overview or the PD Resources to get access to the groups time on each PD Day.
Building PD - Your DPDC and your admin team will be developing your plan on 4/23 beginning at noon. You can consider taking a deeper dive into the PD you began this year, expanding your Trauma PD, beginning a new learning to advance student learning or any other topic aligned with your building CSIP. Trauma PD - We will be spending some time at the Admin Meeting discussing, coordinating, and planning the Trauma PD for next year. You are welcome to invite your ESC and other admin to join you during this time of the meeting. Please reference the agenda from Jacinda. Cheri identified the following outcomes for this year: How does ACES affect what is happening in the classroom? How does trauma affect the brain/brain development? What is stress threshold and being regulated/dysregulated? What are Defense Mechanisms and how can you recognize them? You can also look at resources on the MO Trauma Framework. Please consider including your BPD Chair on your Trauma Planning Team and keeping them in the loop in this important PD work. Sign up for summer PD with this link. As the lead learner, we encourage you to join in and grapple with the teachers as they improve their craft to increase student achievement! Summer Book Study - Please look for a more information on our Summer Book Studies using a Blended Learning format (both an online component and a F2F component)! iObservation Training to transition to the Updated Learning Map will occur on June 11 during our scheduled Admin Retreat. Dyslexia We are hard at work creating professional development to meet the 2-hour requirement for next year. We anticipate having 4 separate 30-minute modules that can be delivered by any facilitator within your building during building PD time or a faculty meeting. The plan is to provide you with scripted modules that you can follow step-by-step and that you can implement throughout the year. Implementing these modules will achieve the requirement for the year. We are also working to identify other learning opportunities for those who need deeper learning in addition to the required minimum. PLTW registrations are well underway. Please let Karen Hill know asap if you are needing a teacher trained this summer.
Technology
Moodle (our previous learning management system) on July 1, 2018, it will be taken permanently offline. Please ensure that you have downloaded any files that you may need access to.
School Improvement
We are having our 4th and final meeting. We will be reviewing how many goals we met this year and discussing your plans for next year.
Dr. Gregg Klinginsmith
Twitter: @GTKling