Mosaica Online Happenings
February 10-14 2014
Upcoming Dates to Remember
- Monday, February 10th: Last day for new HS students to begin for Semester 2
- Friday, February 14th: Enrichment Day
- Monday, February 17th: President's Day Holiday
- Tuesday, March 11th: Enrichment Day
- Tuesday, March 11th: Paragon Night
- March 24-28: SPRING BREAK
- Friday, April 11th: Last day of Grading Period #3
- Monday, April 14th: Enrichment Day
- **Beginning August 28th, all adjunct teachers must submit invoices to Brenda McCullers on the 14th and 28th of the month**
Non-Charter Mosaica Online Locations
American School Foundations
Feb 28 - holiday
Mosaica International School of Hyderabad
February 17 - President's Day
February 24 - 28 - Winter Break
Foundation Academy of Mansfield
February 17 - President's Day
February 28 - Prof. Dev. Day
Muskegon Heights High School
February 17 - 18 - Winter Break
Arts & Technology Academy of Pontiac
February 14th - Early Release
February 17th - President's Day
American School of Puerto Vallarta
END OF THE GRADING PERIOD!
GENERAL:
o Monday, February 10 – Tuesday, February 11: Advisors check all PSAPs for any errors/omissions
oFriday, February14: Enrichment DayTEACHER TASKS:
o Teachers be available to make any necessary corrections to PSAPs.
ADVISOR TASKS:
o Check for PSAP completion and notify teachers of any missing information
oBegin conference period
Staff Spotlight - IV Bray
My name is IV Bray and I live in Lawrenceville, Georgia. My wife, Gabby, is a full-time online educator and we have three children: William is in 5th grade; Marshall is in 3rd grade; and Emily (pictured) is in kindergarten. I have been a high school teacher and administrator for the last 20 years and have worked in the online environment for the last 9 years. When my family is not doing "school stuff" we spend our time visiting or thinking about our two favorite places -- DisneyWorld and Siesta Key Beach.
Thank you IV for all you do for Mosaica Online students!
Mosaica Sunshine!
*As always, please keep Barbara Noel-Williams in your thoughts- she is a WARRIOR in her fight against cancer!!!!
Let me know of any concerns or celebrations within our Mosaica Online family!
Mosaica Online Enrichment Days
Our next Enrichment Day is February 14th!
The focus area is: Science!
Club Corner
Chefs are busy cookin'!
In addition to our monthly group recipe students have access to a Just For Fun recipe each week. February's Just For Fun recipes are all desserts! Students can make Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake, Rock Candy, and Fruit Tarts. Check out Ashlee Welker 4 CA enjoying her homemade Cinnamon Rolls last month (she even gave them a dash of color!)
TEACHER TIP OF THE WEEK!
Don’t forget that all PSAP information must be entered by the end of today. If you have not completed your PSAPs yet, please try to do that as soon as possible. Remember to personalize each PSAP by using the student’s name.
· If you haven’t already done so, please touch base with the parents of any students who are struggling in your class. Be sure to document each communication in the course seating chart.
· Remember that truancy needs to be reported once a student has either not logged in or not completed work for a total of 5 school days. (Please contact the parents and students about the issue after 3 school days.)
· The Science Enrichment Day is next Friday, 2/14. Unless you are a Paragon teacher, you should not have anything assigned for your students that day. Please do NOT post that no work will be assigned in any classes other than Science because this confuses the Paragon students. Only post information that no work is assigned in your class.
·Wednesday, February 12th is a Michigan count day. If you teach any MI students, you will need to make sure that they not only log into the course that day, but they must also send you an email during that day so that we have documented communication. Please relay these expectations to your Michigan students. If they do not meet these requirements by that afternoon, please call and remind them. It is essential that we meet these two requirements.
Data Discussion...
Now that we've gathered data on our students with our Q3 benchmark assessments, we'll be sharing scores with parents and students, alike. What do all those numbers really mean? Below are a few explanations that may help you in articulating the data during conversations with families.
Scantron score explanation:
Scaled Score (SS)
The scaled score is a reliable estimate of the student’s ability using the statistical Rasch model and is independent of grade level. Values can range from 1300 to 3700 in Performance Series. Most computer adaptive tests use this single-parameter model to determine a student’s expected level of performance within a subject area. Performance Series tests have an average reliability of 90%.
How do you use this SS?
Use this score to track progress over time, from fall to spring or year after year, as a sort of educational yardstick. In the fall, use Performance Series to create groups or for student placement. Used alongside state test data, the SS can give educators or students a target for specific performance levels. In the spring, use the Gains reports to see if students hit that target.
Standard Item Pool Score (SIP)
SIP scores are a grade-specific translation of the Scaled Score, in relation to state or national standards. Specifically, SIP scores express the probability of a student correctly answering each item within the item pool for his/her enrolled grade in that state.1 For example, a fifth grade student who scores a SIP of 85 is expected to correctly answer 85% of the items aligned to the fifth grade standards. Both the overall subject score and the units are currently displayed with SIP scores.
How do I use the SIP score?
The SIP score, along with the SS, should be used to determine growth from the beginning of the year to the end. A lower SIP is expected for fall results, since they have not been instructed on that grade level material yet. SIP scores are only comparable within one school year, since they relate to items in one specific grade level.
Online Paragon Nights!
March 11
May 27
And last but not least..... Your joke of the week
Student: I know. But maybe if you were just a little quieter, I could.