Tiger Beat
Acton Weekly Update: 10/28/16
Change
Nuts and Bolts
As a reminder FLU SHOT clinics begin next week. The nurses that are coming to give the shots will have all of the supplies. They will need a trash can with a liner in it to dispose of waste. Remember the shots in the building require staff to show their Anthem insurance card. Below is a brief outline and the sheet is attached with all information. Also attached is the sign in sheet that will need printed for the nurse as well as the consent form that each staff member wanting a shot will need to complete and give to the nurse. Please make about 25 copies to have available.
Please read the attached flyer and information below very carefully so you know where to go for your flu shot. There are three categories in which you may fall to receive a Flu shot.
1. FTCSC Employee and covered by HSBT Insurance Plan – At any of the building locations and times listed in the 1st part of the flyer or the HSBT wellness clinic. Must show insurance card. FREE FLU SHOT
2. FTCSC Employee and HSBT Insurance Plan Member and Family Members covered by HSBT insurance – At the central office flu clinic location on November 10th from 3-6pm or at the HSBT wellness clinic by scheduling an appointment. Must show insurance card. FREE FLU SHOT
3. FTCSC Employee and family that are NON-HSBT covered - $25 FLU SHOT at the central office flu clinic location on November 10th from 3-6pm.
They will be at Acton on Friday, November 4th from 7:30-8:30 in the LGI room.
As you know subs are very hard to come by these days. We are having regular discussions on how to handle vacancies. I will always try to cover classes but there may be some times that we cannot. Please remember, classes may be split to accommodate teacher absences if there are no subs available. Please have a list of students who can be split and grouped together.
Contract: General Days before and after a break counts as a 2 day general leave. Maximum of 2 general days in a row can be used.
First year teachers only get 12 sick days, no longer 14.
If you need to collect money for club materials or shirts, that is fine. We cannot collect money from students for teacher pay.
Curriculum and Instruction
FTCSC DIBELS GOALS: Accuracy 85% and Fluency 80%
Ways to Respond to Independent Reading, Read with A Buddy, or Read Aloud Time~
1.) Ask Why: List up to 10 questions about your book, all starting with the word “WHY.” Answer them on your own and/or discuss the questions and possible answers with your partner/group.
2.) Pick Three: Choose three words from the section of your book that you read today. Write a journal entry and/or discuss why you consider these words interesting or important.
Literacy Activities That Engage the Brain~
3.) Movement: Give some students cards containing word families. Give other students cards with initial consonant letters. Students walk around the room until they find another student whose card makes a word when added to their card. Students then read the word aloud. Also, randomly give students word cards that rhyme with another card. Each student must find another student with a word card that rhymes with their word card. When found, the students stand together and say their words aloud. Cards are then collected and redistributed.
November 14-22nd- COGAT Testing 1st, 2nd and 4th- Please be sure to make parents of the hand out sent out via email earlier in the week.
1st grade test is paper/pencil.
2nd and 5th- online assessment that may take up to 90 minutes. Please plan accordingly. I will make a schedule based on lab availability. Parents will not get results until the Spring. Second semester students in 3rd and 4th whose parents believe may qualify for T2 or T3 of High Ability will have an opportunity to take the full COGAT at one of the middle schools on a Saturday morning.
The HA selection committee will meet in April to look at all of the data to make determinations of student qualifications.
Don't forget to fill out the HQDL google form to record your lessons.
https://docs.google.com/a/ftcsc.k12.in.us/forms/d/1Zi837nZQiqXkajkiL7fTkHYCZew29XU5zkUiqgwTJwU/edit
When test questions require textual evidence, students don't always provide the right information. Define the difference between evidence and just details to prepare students for standardized tests.
Climate and Culture
Please share with our instructional staff~
Teach Vocabulary Daily: A word-of-the-day activity can be a fun way to teach and reinforce new vocabulary. Have students select a new word to learn from a posted list of vocabulary words to give them a sense of control. To strengthen context and meaning, ask students to~
· Use the word in a conversation with a fellow student
· Create a question about the word that their partner must answer
· Create synonyms and antonyms for the word and compare results with classmates to arrive at the most accurate ones
· Create a simile or metaphor for the word
· Illustrate the word in a drawing or collage
· Define the word in the context of a story
· Connect the word to their own lives or to the world at large
Make sure to rotate these activities so that your students’ learning stays fresh.
Athlete Mentors
ISTEP
Teachers in Grades 3-5, RA Teachers, IA's and a few other designated people are required to watch the Testing Security Video below along with read the documents on the Google Drive that is at the other link below. We are required to complete this before we leave for Fall Break. I am going to give you a couple of options.
1. If you've administered ISTEP before and are familiar with the process, you are still required to read and watch the provided material and sign off that you have done so, however you may do this on your own.
2. If you have administered or proctored ISTEP, you can read and view everything and then check in with me to answer any questions you may have, then sign off that you've completed everything.
3. If you are uncertain about the testing security process, new to the district, or want a refresher, you can read and view the documents on your own, but you will also need to meet with me to go over everything together. IA's we will meet after your time with Ronna on Wednesday. Teachers in this category, we will meet on Friday morning at 8:10 in the conference room.
Parent Teacher Conferences- Oct. 5th and 6th.
Technology
Chromebook Carts will be checked out to Nadine on days when she is in our building for professional development with teachers. (Next day is this TUESDAY) These days will trump other reasons for using the Chromebooks. This means that some teachers may need to reschedule with Krissy. Fridays will be affected with assessments.
Google Drive: Help organizing your Google folders Link to Google Drive Organization Tips