MoB (Matters of Business)
Edgewood's Weekly Staff Update for the week of 11/5/18
We are committed to the journey of developing EACH child to be an inspired learner and a caring, contributing citizen.
Learning Notes
Keeping our mission and our district's mission in mind, we can sum up our work into two primary purposes:
1) Increase student learning and achievement at Edgewood
2) Prepare students for their futures (G21 and content/academic skills)
Edgewood Specific
15-Day Challenge: This is a format/structure to help propel us forward in our work in our Collaborative Teams. It helps us to actually get to the 3rd and 4th PLC questions--What do we do when students don't learn? and What do we do if they already know it? We've struggled to get to this part of the work routinely the past few years, and this format is beginning to help us do so. This is a continuation of the work we've done with our PLC the past 3 years.
Promise Standards: Again, this is part of our work as a professional learning community. It's a way for us to be really clear and intentional about where we focus our teaching time and energy.
District-Wide
Performance Tasks: They help us measure both content/skills and G21 impacts. They also can help us assess transfer. Can students use the skills they learned and apply them to a novel context (including, hopefully, both Forward and real life)?
Eduplanet21: This is an online platform with both professional learning (the UBD Modules) and Unit Creation/Storage. As we create new units in Science/SS related to the new standards, we need to have a way of knowing what's being taught/covered in different grade levels and schools. This year, we need to upload at least one unit that we do. The end goal is that we're both able to share ideas and district-wide data can be gathered & analyzed on what's taught.
UBD Modules: The work we do with performance tasks and in collaborative teams is all founded in UBD. These 6 modules should give everyone throughout the district a common understanding of the different components (including performance tasks). A solid foundation in UBD is necessary to start layering in the G21.
Learning Board: This will be the place where it all comes together...the content/academic, and the progress towards G21 Skills and Dispositions. At the WI Character Conference 2 years ago, many of us were excited about the idea of a character report card, because it put important skills front and center. This tool should help us to do the same thing, displaying progress both towards skills/dispositions and content.
There are a lot of new terms. And yet, the concepts--Understanding by Design (UBD), Professional Learning Community (PLC) and 21st Century Skills & Dispositions (G21), have defined our work for the past several years.
There are many times when all the plates seem to be spinning separately. I need to step back and analyze how they nest together. Hopefully, this helped to do that...if not, please ask me (or a SLAIT member) questions.
And, to honor different learning styles, you'll see a different visual of how the pieces fit together below. (Thank you, Jenna!)
TCB (Taking Care of Business)
- This year, the district leadership team is having one of its meetings at each of the schools. In October, we visited and toured GHS. On 11/15, the meeting will be at EW. Members of our staff will present on some of our work with our CGP, and people will visit classrooms. All classrooms will be open for a visit on 11/15. Stay tuned for more details.
- The Forward Accessibility Guidelines are here. If you are responsible for choosing accommodations, take a look: https://dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/assessment/pdf/Accessibilty_Guide_2018-19.pdf
- Eduplanet Log-in: https://my.eduplanet21.com/eduplanet21/ Your log-in is your email. If you don't remember your password, reset it. On your homepage, you scroll down and see "Learning Paths". You should have 6, titled "UbD: 1...6". If you do not see them, you can click on the search button. Let's aim to have Modules 1 and 2 done by Nov. 21. If you need help, ask me.
- CWCS (a report card thing) will now be automatically generated. You will not need to fill it out.
- Paraprofessionals and Educational Assistants; please plan to work the morning of February 18th to learn about Trauma-Informed Care.
Teaching Academic Vocabulary Tip of the Week
This is a strategy to help students learn and retain new vocabulary in seven steps:
- Teacher says new word, students repeat 3x
- Teacher reads word in context (sentence)
- Teacher gives definition of word from dictionary or glossary
- Teacher gives student-friendly definition and example that students can relate to
- Teacher highlights word features
- Students engage with the word meaningfully
- Students use word in context through reading and writing
Staff Shout Outs to...
To Jodi P, for taking a stab at giving kids thought-provoking feedback on their math assessments.
A huge thank you to Rebecca for helping me out through 2 weeks of craziness and for not spraying disinfectant at me everytime I entered and exited the room! And a thank you to everyone else for your care and concern every time you saw I was gone again. --Sarah
Shout out to Holly and Mireille for providing some special "trick or treats" for everyone to brighten their day.
To Mireille and Lori for hooking their kids into their next reading unit by setting up elaborate real-life mysteries for students to solve.
Sue Dewitt for 4K library support (we will miss you)
Lisa Haut for her positivity and perseverance!!
Jackie for sprinting to playground yesterday to help 4K!
To Diane, 3rd grade, and the special ed team for welcoming a new student with grace and positivity, despite the challenges of re-working schedules and the like.
Upcoming Dates
11/6: Voting Day: if you need to be late/leave with the kids to vote, it's approved!
11/6: 1st Grade Brainstorming, 7:40-8:25
11/9: Core Character Committee Meeting, 7:40-8:25
11/9: Lunch/Recess Supervisor Check in, 10:40-11:20 (Meg's Office)
11/9: Assembly, 2:30
Next Week:
11/13: Brainstorming, 4K, 7:40-8:25
11/13: EHSA Meeting, 6:30-7:30
11/14: Staff Meeting, 7:40
11/15: District Leadership Team @ EW, 9-12
11/16: SLAIT Meeting, 7:40
11/16: Assembly, 2:30pm
Other Upcoming Dates
11/21: Professional Learning, 7:30-12:00 @ Edgewood, 12-4--Work @ your own choice location
11/26-11/28: Data Days (Looking at data around promise and essential learning standards)
11/29: Afternoon--Visit to us (a State School of Character) from the LACCS Cohort (~40 adults).
11/29: Learning Celebration (5th grade and 2nd grade)