Couch Comet Dust
February 10, 2019
Love is in the Air..........
We have a busy week approaching with parent conferences and Valentine parties. Hopefully we are on the downside of the sickness in the air! Please make sure that we are also checking on the well-being of our students. If you have concerns about ANY students, please let Ms. Castro know so we can seek help for them.
Thank you to those that were out last week and made every effort to cover their duties, etc. We are still having issues with people leaving early, coming late and not having duties covered. All absences, early leaves and late arrivals must have ADMINISTRATOR APPROVAL. Thank you for your attention in this matter.
Classroom Libraries
Top Tips for Classroom Libraries:
We are so lucky that all of our ELA classrooms were given Scholastic books to start their classroom library collection! Here are a few tips to ensure that your students are getting the maximum benefit from it:
- Decide on an organization system- An effective classroom library has an organization system that is kid friendly and easy to maintain. You are able to mark/label the Scholastic books. For younger students you might want to sort books by topic (ex. science, fairytales, favorite characters, etc.) into bins and have color coded dots so students know where books go. In the upper grades you could sort books by genre, or by author's last name. You need to have plenty of shelf space so that books are not crammed onto shelves or shoved into bins (you do not have to the red scholastic bins). It does not have to be Pinterest perfect, our goal is a kid friendly friendly!We want our students to be easily and quickly able to browse the collection!
- Keep your books organized- At least once a week you will probably realize your classroom library is a mess and books are not in the correct location. One great way to keep the library organized is to have a librarian as a class job. This helps your students take responsibility for their space. Additionally, you could make it a requirement for students who visit the read to self station during literacy stations to do a quick clean up before rotating to the next station. If you would like help training your students, please see Mrs. Marston.
- Allow students to have free choice- We want our students to LOVE reading! The best way to do this is allow them to choose what they read! Just like when they come to the library, they should have free choice in your classroom library! You may need to provide scaffolding to get a child to a more appropriate book, but they should not be told a hard NO you can't read that book because it's too hard for you. Please avoid leveling your classroom library books by reading level. They get direct instruction at their reading level during guided reading and grade appropriate instruction during your mini-lesson. If you feel like your class needs a good fit lesson or a book tasting to challenge their reading selections please let Mrs. Marston know.
Book Fair and Library
Good Afternoon!
Next week the library will be closed for checkout due to book fair. Please do not send students to get new books. Please let any subs on your team know!
On Monday you may bring your class through the library to preview what we have. There is no need to schedule a time, just pop in on your way to specials, lunch, computer lab, etc. Kids can come to shop whenever it is a good time for you, like during their read to self literacy station, as long as they have money. Please communicate this with subs because we had an issue with this last semester.
We will be open all next week during the school day, as well as during parent conferences and Valentine’s Day parties! Even though letters have gone home, we would appreciate if you communicated this with parents if possible!
Finally, in your box next week will be a special coupon for shopping at the fair!
Thank you for all you do! Happy Friday and enjoy the weekend!
Mary Katherine
How are you doing?
Have you tried it? What are your thoughts? Do you see a relationship developing there? Take some time to talk to a teammate about your progress and growth with this experience. Or if you haven't started, it's not too late!
Many of you make comments to me about my relationship with students and the patience that I have with them. This is a key that I live by- and it works. :)
~Lauren
Data Meeting Follow Up
Goal. Develop grade level action steps in response to lesson planning, Lucy Calkins implementation, balanced literacy and individual walkthrough data.
1. Lesson Plan lesson design (Mini reading lessons)- 90 Minutes of Reading-Rotation-Guided Reading and Literacy Stations in Place
2. Student writing-2 out of 5 are using Lucy Calkins; Ms. Salgado-said Bilingual department gave directives not to use; Ms. McGill PPCD-not ready for it. Action Steps-3 Kinder teachers will develop lesson plans and customize pace and activities. Include Readers Response as part of writing folders
3. Guided Reading and literacy stations-see above- felt that the coaching session was difficult because of picture day-Lost whole day of instruction; In addition, not using SRA kits provided by district. Have not had time or training-request engaging/vibrant student activities (Admin will check district plan)
4. MAP data- Identified struggling students-PSM developed. Other struggling students were 2 bilingual students tested in English, 5 PPCD students, ½ should have oral administration, and others are making progress but slowly (extenutingcircumstances noted-on data sheet- all kinder teacher will update their data sheets in Google)
Whole Group- Questions. Using samples of student work.
1. What is working well? Reinforcement
Hicks-student's using student devices in classroom for Imagine Learning
McGill PPCD-25% on Grade Level
Carmona-student ownership of academic goals –setting and reaching goals
Letter knowledge
Sight words
Numbers
Social/Emotional Behavior
Blake-apply relevant Data; DRA, Letter, Sounds, Social and Emotional
Action Step: Kinder will include this information in their parent conferences this month and all will adopt a model to share goals with their students monthly.
2. What do you notice needs to be improved? Analyzed MAP and DRA data
Action Steps: Continue to serve struggling students in small group, Jaime pulling students, and include information to parents for them to support student’s academic needs at home
3. How does the team collaborate to continue to enhance all three things?
What action steps need to be added to your grade level plan? Put in Google Drive
See three action steps above
Request: Administration-Check if we can administer MAP orally to Kinder students and or in small group settings.
Debrief.
Commitment to plan- three things –see above
Acknowledgement: What did someone say that added value to grade level data meeting?
Team was honest and provided in-depth knowledge of their students. Continuously measuring student growth
Task. Take grade level Reteach posters and put in GoogleKinder MOY Data Meeting.docx- Took pictures to put in grade level lesson plan folder (WDM-Reteach)
First Grade
Improve Guided Reading – running records-Refine practice of running record documentation by inhouse training on running record documentation during guided reading groups Activities-a. classroom coaching - Amy Clark and b. classroom visits to observe other teachers –debrief during PLC
2. Implementation of Lucy Calkins writing curriculum-Customize the Lucy Calkins lesson by adjusting pacing and components-Amy Clark and Michelle Warren will help with this planning during IPC planning
3. Building student understanding of what is being asked of them-academically as well as social emotional independence - Continuing One-Five Content check daily -Did we do what we say we would do? Students provide evidence of I will and we will daily and connecting this to the classroom social contract and debrief with grade level weekl
Second Grade
Literacy Stations-improve quality and structure
Set up management plan and structure for literacy stations-Amy Clark will provide coaching and teachers will visit other classrooms to see practices in place
Lucy Calkins writing curriculum
Customize pacing and components in lesson plans. Develop pacing during IPC planning with Amy next week
2. Substitute out of 5 in grade level
Model teamwork as you continue to collaborate and support substitutes with lessons and materials. Identified and placed certified teacher in the classroom for one teacher; other substitute teacher added additional substitute-teacher helper for classroom management in the 2nd classroom
Third Grade
- increase level of rigor in Guided Reading and use RAZ to support the students with reading levels. Shields needs access to Gogel and Carney's Class if possible so she can assign books on the students levels.
- continue implementation of Lucy Calkins. We need to continue to ensure proper planning and preparation. Gogel and Carney are sharing in the responsibility. Maybe Amy can help review with them in IPC as well.
- concerns with working on some test taking strategies to prepare for STAAR. Working on a plan for how to start working on these skills.
Fourth and Fifth Grade will follow up for next week!
Congrats to Paraprofessional and Teacher of the Year!
Posters from Faculty Meeting
February Safety Survey
Mock testing is approaching!
Fire Drill
Coming up....
5th Meeting during Conference February 11
Planning 2nd and 3rd February 12
Parent Conferences 4:00-7:00 February 12
STAAR Spanish Writing - Field Test 7 students February 12
Planning 4th and 5th February 13
Valentine’s Day parties 2:00 February 14
Kids of Character Breakfast February 15
Positive Proof IDs February 15
T-TESS No Formal Observations February 15
Staff Development 2/18
MAP Growth closes February 15
Tooth Fairy presentation for PreK, K and 1st February 15
cafeteria at 2:00
Random Acts of Kindness Week February 17-23
President’s Day - Staff Dev/Student Holiday District PD February 18
5th Six Weeks Grading Period Begins February 19
Planning Kinder and 1st February 19
Mock STAAR 4th Writing, 5th Reading February 20
Dental Presentation February 21
8:30-9:30 2nd grade, 2:00-3:00 3rd grade
PTA Meeting 2nd grade Literacy Night February 21
PM: New Teacher Meeting February 25
TELPAS Testing LEP K - 5th February 25 - April 5
Mock STAAR 5th Math February 26
Digital Learning Day February 28
National Science Day February 28
PTA Board Meeting 4:30-5:30 February 28