OSP Connected
October, 2018-Office for School Performance-Volume 22
Message from Dayle
When I went to school it was the season of “Whole Language”. I missed the lessons on grammar and phonics and the semantics of English. As an educator when someone asks me to teach Language or worse comments on my split infinitives or dangling participles it gives me a little panic attack. These are things I need to Google and keep learning. If you are like me and you keep hearing, “Teach the language” and start sweating, let me help. I think of Language in these three ways:
Language as in forms and functions. There are functions or purposes for language: explaining, describing, asking questions, comparing and contrasting, persuading etc. For each of those purposes there are forms- both vocabulary and sentences types and frames that allow us to speak. For language learners we need to explicitly teach these. And really- who isn’t learning the English language? I know I learn new words and ways to communicate daily.
Language as in modalities. Are you reading, writing, speaking or listening? What scaffolds and supports do you need to do those things? Graphic organizers, sentence starters, visuals, vocabulary and those AVID strategies for interacting with texts help. And remember that using scaffolds isn’t cheating, they are ladders to show your thinking and understanding.
Language as in registers of speech. This is my favorite because it allows you to play with language! If you are learning content how would you speak about it to a friend? A teacher? To a future employer? To a younger child? There are words and phrases and styles of speech that are necessary in each context. Students can also teach you the ways they speak that are essential to their environments too. All are valid. But in the world of education, we need to explicitly teach students how to speak in academic and formal ways.
Here is the truth- we have to explicitly teach language. Our achievement data isn’t moving and the students most at risk- english learners (active and excited- about 28% of our students), students experiencing poverty (about 50% of students), students with special needs (about 13%)- simply can’t wait for us to feel like we are experts in teaching language. We just have to try! We speak school, we speak our content and we know how to speak for different contexts. Teach them these things! Don’t sweat. Don’t stress. Just try something! I know it may be a little uncomfortable but more importantly, it’s essential for our students’ success. Our kids are counting on us. Ask for help or work with your PLC but just try something!
HSD Focus 2018-2019
INSTRUCTION: From Mathematical Knowledge to Experience
Within mathematics, teachers help students see relationships between different concepts to draw on those relationships in future math lessons. For example, so that students can translate readily between fractions and decimals, or between algebra and geometry, and to help them understand how mathematics is used in other content areas such as science, social sciences, and the arts. Hugh Mcleod says “The difference between knowledge and experience is that experience connects the knowledge” We need to create these experiences for students so that they can connect what they’ve learned with their everyday experiences. Help students understand the interrelationships of mathematical ideas and roles in other disciplines and in life.
Some ways in which you can do this is:
Creating time for students to describe how a new math learning connects to your content class.
Explore the formal language of mathematics within a task you assign (e.g. pair, dozen, prime, isosceles)
Math Icebreaker/warm-up games at the beginning of your content class
Students will learn that making connections promotes mathematical discourse and that using math discourse promotes connections as well as connecting knowledge with experience in their daily life. Whether this happens in a math class, social sciences class, art class, PE class, we can all support students in making those connections. If you want to learn more on how to support your students mathematical connections in your content class click on the links below:
https://sciencing.com/how-is-mathematics-used-in-other-subjects-9861185.html
https://mathgeekmama.com/using-literacy-strategies-to-teach-math/
https://www.teachthought.com/literacy/10-ways-literacy-can-promote-a-deeper-understanding-of-math/
BUILDING STRONG RELATIONSHIPS: October is National Bullying Prevention Month!
Creating safe and welcoming school environments is a top priority in the Hillsboro School District. At all levels of our system, there are programs and initiatives under way to help ensure that students are respectful, responsible, and safe in their behaviors and interactions with others. The value of student safety is shared across the country, therefore many schools and organizations observe National Bullying Prevention Month in October. The goal of the national campaign is to Encourage communities to work together to stop bullying and cyberbullying by increasing awareness of the prevalence and impact of bullying on all children of all ages. For more information or ideas on how to implement bullying prevention efforts in your school or community here are a few online resources:
Hillsboro School District Website
CAREER & COLLEGE READY: HSD/ First Tech Credit Union Collaborate on Student-Run Coffee Shop
In earlier September Hillsboro School District celebrated the grand opening of its first community-based Marketing Lab experience for high school students: a coffee shop in First Tech’s new Hillsboro Corporate Office, located across the street from the District’s administration center. Any Hillsboro School District employee can access the coffee shop Monday-Friday from 7:30 AM-11 AM. The students in our CHS and HHS Marketing programs came together to name the coffee shop "Ground Up." The coffee shop allows students to earn class credit during the school year and to receive pay for the hours they work on non-school days. Six students are participating this year: four from Hilhi and two from Century. Next year, students from Glencoe and Liberty will join as well. The First Tech organization helped work out the details of the arrangement, and outside organizations began pledging their support as well. Nike came through with grant money to pay for the espresso machine and other necessary equipment, and Longbottom agreed to be the sponsoring coffeehouse. All of the products and recipes are from Longbottom, and once the students gain experience and confidence making the drinks, Longbottom pastries will join the lineup as well. Supervising the coffee shop and the students is Hilhi alumnae Faith Valdez. She is very excited to work with students and help them gain the skills and experiences that will help them now and in the future. Finally, a special thank you to School to Career Specialist Melissa Pendergrass, this would not have happened without her, she the vision, passion, and experience to see this through.
Erin's Law Information & Talking Points
The CDC has reported that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys are sexually abused before the age of 18. In response, the Oregon Legislature passed Senate Bill 856 (commonly known as “Erin’s Law”) in 2015 which mandates that all students (K-12) receive age-appropriate instruction to help them recognize and respond to unsafe situations and reduce child sexual abuse. Among other things, this law stipulates that instructional programs be...
age and developmentally appropriate, culturally sensitive, and evidence-based; and
be delivered through a minimum of 4 instructional sessions (equal to or greater than a standard class period), with each year’s instruction building upon the previous year’s instruction.
With support from the Office for School Performance, each school has developed a delivery plan to meet the unique needs of their setting. Additional information about the law, curriculum selected for each grade level, and resources for families can be found at https://www.hsd.k12.or.us/Page/5371. Families were invited to attend an Erin’s Law Parent Info Night this Thursday, October 4, at 7:30pm at the Shute Park Library.
Middle School Redesign Update
A team of administrators and licensed middle school staff from across the district have been meeting to talk about the benefits and challenges with our current middle school system. Their commitment for this work is to find ways to support a smaller learning community in our middle schools that builds better connections with our students. Some of the topics discussed and researched have been around the years that students spend in middle school, advisory programs, schedules and technology. If you would like more information or have any questions contact Audrea Neville.
Bond Update
A total of 37 separate bond projects were completed during the summer! Click on this link to see the summary of projects by category.
Continue to check out the Bond website to keep yourself updated with all of the updates around the district. Whenever possible post on social media pictures of any updates with the #hsdbond so that our community can see the wonderful supports that they have given our students.
High School Bell Schedule Committee Update
A team of high school staff from across the district are having conversations about the high school bell schedule, how it is working to support our Strategic Plan goals and if we should look at other models or not. Your feedback is essential to our decision making process, please make sure to complete the staff feedback survey as soon as possible. Over the next month our committee with review feedback data from the staff, student, and family surveys, shadow students on our current schedule, visit other district on different schedules, and review information from other districts that have undergone this process. Our goal is to ensure that we have a schedule that best supports 100% of our students graduating college and career ready. Thank you to the staff that have been attending our meetings and to those of you that completed our survey and a big thank you to all of our staff for your commitment to all of our students and families.
Coffee Conversations
What to do with subpoenas:
When you or any staff receive a subpoena, do not call anyone listed on the subpoena. FIRST, inform your principal. Together you can scan a copy of it to Leah McCarthy, mccarthl@hsd.k12.or.us, and call her to let her know you sent her a copy for review. It may be that the recipient of the subpoena does, in the end, need to call the other attorney, but Leah and/or our attorney will give guidance for next steps, and coaching regarding the call and/or any appearance required.