RMS Staff Wildcat Weekly
Staff Newsletter 5.4.20
As we move into our last month of school, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the incredible work that our RMS staff has completed over the last 6 weeks of “virtual school.” None of us were ready (or trained) for this kind of massive shift in our teaching and learning paradigm, yet our RMS staff have responded with flexibility and commitment, and ultimately, with great care and concern for our students. I am not surprised by the level of collaboration I have seen nor by the support you are giving to one another, as these are qualities and characteristics that are deeply woven into the fabric of our school community at Roosevelt. I am incredibly proud to work with so many passionate and caring educators who work so hard to make our students feel connected and valued. I am grateful for you all every day, and especially during this week of Staff Appreciation!
I'm including a link to a video- Be a Mr. Jensen- that I love watching, even though I have seen it many times. It makes me think of many of you and the ways that you guide students to see their individual strengths and talents and to build upon them.
Enjoy- and have a magnificent Monday and a stellar week! We appreciate you!
Shout Out!
RMS Employee of the Month- Please Nominate!
Collaboration and Meetings
- PLCs will meet in Departments Monday, May 4th. Check the Roosevelt Internal Calendar and our Virtual School Shared Information and Collaboration Document for meeting codes and info!
- Please connect to Heather's Weekly Zoom if you have any questions or concerns: Weekly Zoom Tuesday at 9 am.
If you haven’t already filled out the RMS Staff Check in Form, please do so as soon as possible. It’s super quick and easy!
PTA Announcements:
Grants Are Still Available - submit the PTA google grant form to apply for PTA funds. Let us help you!!!
What's Up Wildcats!
Click on the What's Up Wildcats image to see our 3rd video and in your Pride Hub Google Classrooms on Monday 5/4 and follow our ASB instagram @rms.asb_2020
Ongoing Virtual School Tasks
1. Continue to update any check-ins with 7th Period Students- if you have students/families returning your phone calls and getting in touch with you, please update the form so that we have accurate info. You can also communicate with Martha, Maidhya, and Gabby about Spanish speaking families.
2. Connect with your Pride/Department about Collaboration Structure or Plans
Pride Hubs- continue to discuss coordination of this shared space to use for communication of Pride info, school level info, counseling and admin announcements (such as registration, course selection, high school transition) etc.
- Week at a Glance
- Announcements/Check-ins- place for admin/counseling to disseminate info to all students
- Other ideas by Pride (organization tips, social emotional connections, emphasis on character ed, etc.)
Virtual School Information and Resources
Check out the RMS Staff Website for important Vista Virtual School and RMS specific links.
Live Conferencing Updates
Teachers and counselors are permitted to host 1:1 live conferences with students. We also are permitted (and encouraged) to record live conferences with our classes and post them in Google Classroom so that students who are not able to attend can review the information on their own time. You may, of course, give students the option to turn off their cameras if they would like and mute themselves.
Participating teachers who host live conferences will hold a morning and afternoon session on their assigned subject day. Both sessions will be similar, so students may choose to attend one or both of the sessions. See the SCHEDULE HERE on page 2 of our Norms and Schedule document.
The morning and afternoon sessions are open to students from all periods.
Sessions may be extended or shortened depending on the needs of students in session.
Participating teachers will post a link and instructions for joining live conferences in their Google Classrooms.
Students are expected to follow the behavior guidelines detailed in our Roosevelt Live Distancing Norms for any live conferences.
Temporary Grading Policy
During Roosevelt Virtual School, teachers will continue to provide feedback on student performance and mastery of content and skills. Grades will be recorded as they were during the regular school year as a means of providing feedback to parents and students. At the end of the semester, teachers will take into consideration all work completed in the second semester from January to June, as well as each student’s individual circumstances, to determine whether credit or no credit has been earned.
Vista Unified School District Temporary Grading Administrative Regulation
Counseling Corner!
Follow us on our new Instagram @rooseveltcounseling for updates!
REMINDER: To make an appointment with your counselor fill out our form at bit.ly/rmscheckin, DM us on Instagram, or send us an email. Use the PSST tool at THIS LINK to report something anonymously.
Library and Yearbook Update
Library Update:
Students may still be receiving overdue notices from our automated library system. Please know that students will not accrue fines while school is not in session. Information about when and how to return library books, textbooks, and Chromebooks will be coming soon.
Chromebooks: We will be distributing on Wednesdays from 10:30-12:30 only if prior arrangements have been made with Ms. Bennet. Please reach out for a new or replacement chromebook if needed. She can be reached at deannawestphal@vistausd.org or call 760-472-3375.
Yearbook Update:
As of right now, it is not clear how yearbook distribution would take place; however, families will certainly receive a copy if they make a purchase. This year, there are only a limited amount of yearbooks for sale. As of April 17, there are only about 100 yearbooks remaining for purchase.