Teach, LOVE, Inspire
Cool Cats Update
Week of September 4
Monday Motivation
This Week's Reminders
- Extra Planning Time continues this week. See schedule below.
- On Tuesday, all Science teachers will need to meet with Anna after school for our required Science Safety training.
- Bobcat PLC/Focus Groups will meet for the first time on Thursday at 3:45. Costco will be providing refreshments and KISD Board member Jim Stitt will also stop in to say hello.
- 2nd, 3rd & 4th grade only will be meeting with Jennifer Love on Tuesday for our first Writing Data Team meeting during your regular conference time. We will meet in room 301.
Posting Objectives
Extra Planning Time
This week's TOPIC: Cookies with Kristen & a VESTED Review
- Kinder - Monday
- 1st grade - Tuesday
- 2nd grade - Wednesday
- 3rd grade - Thursday
- 4th grade - Friday
Thinking Ahead - SVES PLCs & Data Talks
Bobcat PLCs
Reading/Writing Focus Group (PLC) -
Kinder- Lisa Self
1st – Kelly Kaczmarski & Lynsey Smith
2nd – Katia August & Amanda Self
3rd – Gina Smith
4th – Marcy Tate
Math Focus Group (PLC)
Kinder- Cassie Thomasson
1st – Jessica Conn
2nd – Amanda Carver
3rd – Amber Wynn
4th –Carolyn Dannis
Science Focus Group (PLC)
Kinder- Angela Patlan
1st – Dinah Stringer
2nd – Kim VanKalker
3rd – Katie Huff
4th – Lindsey Miner
Data - It's Not Just About Numbers
I want you to understand that it isn’t just about data, it’s about student success.
Our Essential Questions for our Team PLCs/Data Talks:
- What is it we want our students to learn?
- How will we know when each student has learned it?
- How will we respond when some students don't learn it?
- How will we extend and enrich the learning for those who have mastered it?
Your Team Meetings - What Should Your Data Talks Sound Like When You are with your Team?
These are GUIDING questions only. You are not required to submit anything to me. This is strictly something to help your data driven conversations.
The Why's
- to evaluate the mastery of TEKS taught during the six week instructional period
The What's
- what are we going to teach and how do we know who has or who hasn't mastered it?
- determine the mastery of concepts taught to students following any formative and summative assessments you assign to your students.
- determine the level of mastery of concepts following any district and campus common assessment, i.e. DCAs, DRAs, AimsWeb, Letterland, etc.
The How's
- How do you track your student data? Spreadsheet? Notebooks? Data Folders? You decide what this will look like so that you know who has mastered what TEKS and so it is meaningful to you.
- Look at TEKS mastery & Student Growth - meet with your students and help them set performance goals.
Questions to Keep in Mind as a Team:
- How will I build upon the strengths?
- Have my students mastered the concepts?
- What TEKS needs to be retaught, remediated, or extended for students?
- Do I need to spiral in the assessed TEKS so that there is continual review of the concepts?
- Is there someone on my team that has a high level of mastery? What is the instructional practice?
- Is each student making growth, staying the same, or moving backwards?
- How will I ensure that all students are making growth on each common assessment?
- Why are specific students not making growth?
- How will I celebrate growth in my classroom?
- How will I reteach concepts not learned for each student?
Team PLCs/Data Talks - What Will They Look Like with Me?
- compares SVES performance to other campuses in the district
- compares by teacher, the % of students meeting standard
- compares by teacher the % of students performing at the advanced level
- compares by teacher the % of students who mastered each of the TEKS tested
- compares by teacher % of students who did not meet growth targets, the % of students who did meet growth targets, and the % of students who exceeded growth targets.
Topics of discussion may include one or more of the following depending on needs of grade level:
- Student attendance & behavior - specific data & interventions
- Curriculum Progress & RtI - student learning, instructional strategies & interventions
- Campus Common Assessments - mastery of objectives & student growth
- District Common Assessments - mastery of objectives & student growth
During our meetings you & your team should be able to share:
- What the team strengths were and why?
- What opportunities for improvement exist from a team perspective & how the team plans to address them?
- Individually, teachers share what their classes did well and why.
- Individually, teachers share what their classes opportunities for improvement are and what they will be doing to address them.
- What the team's progress is overall and why.
- What the team will do to ensure all students make progress
- Individually, teachers share why students made progress.
- Individually, teachers share why students didn't make progress and what they will be doing to ensure they do.
The only thing I need you to bring is your computer. You are responsible for bringing any materials that you feel will help with our discussion.
Sample Google Form that I will use to take notes:
Coaching Schedule
- Sept. 5 - Jennifer Love, Writing Data Teams (2nd, 3rd & 4th grade Writing teachers will meet with Jennifer during your regular conference period.)
- Sept. 12-13 - Kim Wilson, Letterland
- Sept. 15 - Tiffany Neal, Writer's Workshop
- Sept. 19-22 - Ashlee Smith, Math
FACT Elections
Thank you!
The FACT committee has planned meetings from 4:30 - 5:30 on the following dates.
October 12
December 7
February 8
April 12