EAST PAULDING MIDDLE SCHOOL
March 18, 2019
FACULTY AND STAFF NEWSLETTER
UPCOMING EVENTS
3/19 - Collaborative Planning Day - Room 601
3/19 - 3rd 9-Weeks Grade Due
3/19 - Fire Drill - Between 1:30 and 2:00
3/21 - ESEP Meeting - 7:45am - Room 601
3/21 - Milestones Prep PL - Planning - Room 601
3/22 - TKES Walkthrough #4 Due - Full Plan Only
3/25-3/29 - Spring Parent Conferences
3/26 - Collaborative Planning Day - Room 601 (Optional)
4/1-4/5 - Spring Break
4/8 - Fire Drill - Time TBD
4/8 - MIlestones Refresher - Planning - Room 601
4/9 - 4/10 8th ELA EOG
4/11-4/12 - 8th Math EOG
4/15 - 8th Science EOG
4/16 - 8th Social Studies EOG
4/17-4/18 - 7th ELA EOG
4/19 - EOG Make-up Day
4/22-4/23 - 7th Math EOG
4/24 and 4/26 - 6th ELA EOG
4/25 - EOG Make-up Day
4/29-4/30 - 6th Math EOG
5/1-5/3 - EOG Make-up Days
5/1-5/2 - 9th Lit EOC
5/3 - 9th Lit Make-up Day
5/3 - ADAD Program - Whole School Event
5/6 - Algebra I EOC
5/8 - Algebra 1 EOC Make-up Day
Conference Week
In the "Upcoming Dates" section, I designated Collaborative Planning on 3/26 as optional. If you need to use your planning time on Tuesday to schedule conferences, please feel free to do so. However, if you will be attending collab planning, we will be in Mrs. Burford's office.
We will provide each homeroom teacher the conference guidance forms before the end of next week. I have attached a blank copy of this to newsletter email.
Below is your late-night admin support for the week. If you need our support in a conference, please let us know.
Monday - Jacobs
Tuesday - Alverson
Wednesday - Alverson and Jacobs
Thursday - Alverson, Jacobs, and Raley
Milestones Information
Below are a few operational things to keep on you radar.
1. Milestone Testing Training will occur on Thursday, March 21 during your planning in room 601. We will reconvene on Monday, April 8th during your planning in Room 601 for a quick refresher and to answer any questions you may have. All certified staff members will be trained for testing.
2. Staff attendance will be critical! All days of testing are considered critical days and no additional personal days will be approved on days when testing is in session.
3. Testing locations will look a bit different this year. We will communicate those plans during the March 21st training, but we are going to do our best to limit displacing some teachers who have traditionally been displaced because there is nowhere to place them.
Have you heard of ONeNote?
PLanning Focus
What is our standard? What is the floor of the standard; what is the ceiling of the standard?
What is the essential vocabulary and how will we teach it?
What is our learning target?
What strategies can we use to guide students to the learning target?
How and/or will we need to differentiate?
How will we assess?
Remediation and Recovery
I am leaving this here because I am hopeful that we can begin to have this discussion as we move in to 19-20. I want to encourage you to continue or begin these conversations with your colleagues. I have added an additional question below.
1. Why do students fail?
2. Should students be offered the opportunity for remediation or recovery? Why or why not?
3. What is the purpose of remediation or recovery opportunities?
4. Should remediation/recovery be consistent by grade level, by department, school-wide, or left to the discretion of each individual teacher?
I want to challenge and encourage you speak with your colleagues about these questions. I would appreciate any feedback or thoughts you have.
NBI
Beginning in April, if you are not testing, NBI will flow as follows:
Monday - HR NBI
Tuesday - 1st Academic
Wednesday - 2nd Academic
Thursday - 3rd Academic
Friday - 4th Academic
However, just because we are unable to pull students for groups during NBI doesn't mean that we abandon the literacy and math support that we have provided them. Continue to follow our literacy plan across all contents, and our math teachers will continue to provide the daily support that they provide their students
As we begin to plan for the 19-20 school year, we will consider how we can adjust our NBI to continuously improve the support we provide our students.
Literacy 19-20 - A question for you...
I would love to hear your feedback!
ADAD - 5/3/19
This day will be like no other we have experienced over the past several years, but I have been told that it is phenomenal. The Paulding County Board of Commissioners sponsors this event, and our students are provided the opportunity to learn about the dangers of alcohol, drugs, vaping, and other dangerous behaviors form local law enforcement officials.
It is difficult for me to explain because I have not seen it in action, but some of our other schools have already hosted the event in previous years, and they talk about how great of day it is.
However, you will need to know that this will not be a normal day at all. Our schedule will be completely disrupted, and you and your students will not be in class for the majority of the day. Because of the amount of movement around and throughout the building, this day will be a critical day, and we will not approve any personal days on this day.
As the event moves closer, we will share additional information. Just know that you will not need to plan any instruction on this day.
building safety Reminders
1. Your room doors should always be locked.
2. Never prop open an exterior door for any reason. Your classroom key will provide you with access to the building. If your key does not work, please see Mr. Jacobs. Guidelines for exterior door key use is below
3. Code Red Drills should be used to move students and staff members to the nearest secure location in the quickest time possible.
4. Evacuation Drills (primarily Fire Drills) should be used to move students and staff members out of the building in the safest and quickest time possible.
5. It is important to have an accurate account of who is present or absent in your classroom at all times. You never know when an emergency situation may occur in which we have to evacuate or lock down the building. Keeping an accurate attendance should be a priority in every class, every day.
6. Update your classroom rosters frequently for subs. It is important that they have an accurate account of your students.
EXTERIOR DOOR KEY GUIDANCE
1. While your key will unlock a door, only specific staff members are given an alarm code. If you do not have an alarm code, you should only attempt to enter the building during custodial hours. No staff members other than custodians should attempt to enter the building before 6:45am or after 8:00pm.
2. If you have an alarm code, you are not to share it with anyone. Anyone needing access to the building outside of custodial hours (or the hours listed above) will need to speak with Mr. Alverson, Mr. Jacobs, or Mrs. Raley.
Subs and Coverages
Please know that we are continuing to do our best to limit the amount of time that coverage is needed. The best plan of action is for our school to have great staff attendance. I want to encourage you to take care of yourself as pollen season approaches.
As the year progresses, filling substitute jobs will continue to be challenging. Unfortunately, the need to cover those unfilled jobs will require coverage of some form. If you have suggestions for coverage, please email them to me.
Please note that plans for coverage are based on many different factors, and I realize that covering classes is not always ideal. However, while the communication of this plan will most likely come from Mrs. Suttles, any concerns or questions need to be made directly to me, Mr. Jacobs, or Mrs. Raley.
Again, if you have suggestions for how we can improve our coverage practices, please forward them to me.
Current ABSENCE ANALYSIS
AESOP
Below are a couple of reminders regarding reporting absences and requesting time off.
Unplanned Sick Absence
1. As soon as you know that you need to be out, enter the absence into AESOP AND call Mr. Jacobs. His number is 678-779-9541
2. If you are unable to enter the absence into AESOP, call Mr. Jacobs.
3. After 6am, you are no longer able to enter an absence in AESOP, please call Mr. Jacobs.
3. If a job fails to fill or if the sub cancels, there is a strong possibility that we will have to cover the absence from within that specific department or use other subs when they are on their planning.
Planned Sick Absences
1. As soon as you know that you need to be out, enter the absence into AESOP AND inform Mr. Jacobs and Mrs. Suttles of the upcoming absence.
2. If a job fails to fill or if the sub cancels, there is a strong possibility that we will have to cover the absence from within that specific department or use other subs when they are on their planning.
Personal Absences
1. All personal absences must be requested 5 days in advance. The request must be made to Mr. Alverson.
2. You can speak to Mr. Alverson in person or send him an email.
3. If you request an absence via email, please include Mrs. Suttles.
4. All personal absences will be entered by Mrs. Suttles.
5. If you have already arranged for one of our regular subs to work for you, please provide that information.
6. if a job fails to fill or if the sub cancels, there is a strong possibility that we will have to cover the absence from within that specific department or use other subs when they are on their planning.
It is important to remember that absences designated as sick days cannot be used for personal events or activities. If you have questions, please let me know.
March Birthdays
5th - Deanne Soeder
9th - Bonnie Vest
10th - LaRue Conatser
11th - Teresa Raley
12th - Katie Terrell
14th - Becky Tarbush
20th - Tyler Rowe
follow or like us on social media
Contact Information for Tom Alverson
Email: talverson@paulding.k12.ga.us
Website: http://www.paulding.k12.ga.us/Domain/29
Phone: 678-350-8027