BAMS Staff Newsletter
February 9, 2015 - Volume 2, Issue 20
It's a Great Day to Be Great!
Bessie Allen Middle School - SLO & Goals
Building SLO:
By June of 2015, 80% of students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade will show growth in their opinion writing sample rubric score from the September 2014 writing benchmark based on the school developed writing rubric (adapted from the Smarter Balanced writing rubric).
Building Goals:
DPI School of Recognition
PBIS School of Merit
Routinely Take Literacy Risks
Be a CEO
Driving Question for 2014-2015:
What have we changed with our instruction to prepare our students for the Badger Exam assessment (and other higher level thinking opportunities)?
Goals for SSR and SSW
- Provide a time for every student in our building to read and write.
- Ensure this time is a positive part of our students' day.
News and Notes
- We will meet at the start of early release to go over some general information and training about the Badger Exam. I may not be back from Madison in time, so I will see if our building reps from CSC can support part of this meeting. There is a 15-20 tutorial video that we will watch. Then we will have some time to get a look at the Badger Exam interface via a Practice test.
- Writing Samples - Thank you for beginning to score the mid-year writing samples. There was some great discussion when I sat in on the calibration meetings. I love how these samples can also serve as a formative assessment tool for driving your writing instruction for the rest of the year. Please refer to the calibration norms document I sent out for the procedures we want to use to ensure consistency. Samples need to be scored before February 16th so that we have that data for our building and individual goals. Please send your results to me when completed. Thank you for the time and effort this process takes!!!
- New Doors for Tostitos Bessie Allen Gymnasium - Dave is working on replacing some of the doors in the gym. We don't have a date for installation, but I'll let you know when I know more.
- The day for our middle school students to access the Food 4 Thought Cafe has changed to Wednesday. There was a conflict with an after school program. We are hoping Wednesdays will work better. At this time, the cafe is only available to our 8th graders.
- The BAMS PTO will be providing food for staff for parent teacher conferences. I will get the food options closer to that week. The PTO is very thankful for the work and care you show for our students. This is a small way to say THANK YOU!!!
- Summer school course proposal information will be coming out on February 20th. If you would like to teach or support this summer, please complete the forms when they come out.
- Thank you to the Oriole Leaders for leading the Pep Assembly on Friday. I heard great things from students and adults I spoke with after school. Thank you to Adam and Ginnie for leading this group.
- The Badger Exam training I attended on Friday was very interesting. Melanie and I had some nice discussions about how to support the process for this year. See the Early Release and Staff Meeting agendas below for part of the plan. The School Improvement Team will help to create a schedule for our testing window based on what we know about the exam. We will learn a lot in the months to follow. :)
- If you feel driven to donate money or items for the Team Room, donations can be given to Kim Broten or Jenny Stahl. Do what feels good! Thank you to anyone that donated funds. We were able to restock some items for the Team Room.
Out of the Office
- February 9th - 1:45-2:35pm - Honor's Study Hall
- February 9th - 9-11am - Admin Team Meeting - DMR
- February 11th - BAMS BCT Meeting - 8:30-9:30am
- February 11th - Middle School Principals Convention - Madison, leave at 11am
- February 12th & 13th - Middle School Principals Convention - Madison - all day
Oriole Way - Be Ready, Be Respectful, Be Safe
- The Oriole Way Team will begin to review our building data at our team meetings. This will be in addition to the times we view data as a staff at staff meetings. Please let a team member know if you want to see individual or school wide data.
- Keep looking for GREAT things this month. It would be great if you could hit 1000 forms for the year. We will be very close with the pace we are on. If you haven't completed a form yet this year, go for it!!! Don't miss the great things that our students are doing everyday.
- NEXT Meeting - February 18th, 7am
OASYS and Teacher Effectiveness
- Continuing Educators 2nd Student Surveys - Due by February 16th
- Mid-Year Goal Review - Due by February 16th
- 2 Classroom Visits - Due by End of the Year
*Remember, for your mid-year goal review form "save and notify" when you have completed this into. Do not "submit". This form will be submitted after the end of the year info is entered in May.
Click Here for a link to Teacher Effectiveness Info from CESA 6
Click Here for a Teacher Effectiveness Calendar for EDUCATORS/SPECIALISTS
Dates to Remember
February 13 - Early Release 12:45pm-3pm
February 13 - BAMS Staff Outing @ Schmitty's 4pm
February 17 - Fat Tuesday (A BAMS fine dining experience)
February 18 - Staff Meeting 2:50-3:30pm
February 23 - Mid-Quarter Grades Due 7am
February 23 - PT Conferences 3pm-7pm
February 23 - NFDL School Board Meeting, 7pm in DMR
February 25 - PT Conferences 3pm-6:30pm
February 26 - Oriole Leaders Meeting 10:40-11:40am
February 27 - No School
*See Google Doc titled "2014-2015 BAMS Yearly Calendar" for a look at events for the entire year.
Early Release Agenda - Friday, February 13th - 12:50pm
- Badger Exam Info and Practice Tests - 12:50pm DMR *all building staff
- Reading Plus Webinar 2-3pm *RtI Team and any other volunteeers
- Buffet Time
Staff Meeting Agenda
Staff Meeting: February 18th - 2:50-3:30pm - DMR
Agenda:
Oriole Way Data Review
Badger Exam
Slide Shows
Smarter Balanced Practice Test
Testing Window - current thinking
News and Notes
Next Meeting: March 13th - 12:50-1:15pm - DMR
Blackboard Connect Messages
Messages sent this week:
- NONE
*New messaging system (ParentLink) coming soon.