the RAH
SPS Ele Leadership Team Newsletter - Nov 13 - 17, 2017
from J-
Thanks to learning support who have provided many updates for you. Let us know if you have any questions. Please let me know how I can best support you. Make it an amazing week!
"When you interact with someone, you will make their day better or worse. Make it better. Every time."
from Bret-
From Learning Support & Partnerships
Progress with Partnerships
Stuart Crawford noted that “Partnerships are a difficult ship to steer.” While they can provide additional support in so many areas, it can be a challenge to keep them focused on supporting district and site priorities.
A few key messages are gathering some momentum as we work with them and the multiple departments that engage with them.
There’s your work, my work, and OUR work. The upper right diagram has been helpful in framing that conversation with them.
HelpsSPSKIds@spsmail.org is the “One Door” of engagement for our partners. The communication process helps us:
Screen/vet offers of support to determine need at your site, ensure a minimum one year commitment on the part of partners, avoid initiative fatigue at your site.
Document supports across the district to ensure equity for all SPS students.
Data drives the work as we move forward, specifically data driven needs at the site that fit with the priorities you have set a principal.
Food FIght 2.0
Last year, the SPS giving campaign (United Way/Foundation for SPS) and Ozarks Food Harvest Food drive fell within a 3 week period. This, added to conference and holiday season, overwhelmed staff and resulted in our lowest participation.
The Giving Campaign has been reconfigured
This year, the Ozarks Food Harvest Food Fight will take place from January 15-26, 2018 recognizing that food needs are not a seasonal concern.
OFH will work on creating a new logo
SPS will send OFH a list of site partners. SPS will reach out to partners to engage them in supporting the school’s drive.
Sites will select a champion and provide their contact information to Lisa Searles (lrsearles@spsmail.org) by December 20, 2017.
OFH will select the supplies for each registered school based on past involvement
OFH will drop off supplies to sites anytime during a January 3-12 window
The actual drive will kick-off on January 15, 2018 at the Multi-Cultural Fair.
OFH will send the first communication out the last week of November. Communication will be heavier in January as soon as school resumes
Competition categories will be: high school, middle school, elementary.
From Learning Support, continued-
Upcoming Learning Support Events
November 8 - Master Learner Institute - Year 2 work day (12 - 3)
November 8 - Rekenreks Training (4:15 - 5:15)
November 14 - Master Learner Institute - Year 3 work day (12 - 3)
November 15 - Number Talks Training (4:15 - 5:15)
November 15 - Split Grade Level Classroom Teacher Support 8:30 - 11:30)
November 16 - Master Learner Institute Year 1 (Literacy 8-11; Math 12:30-3:30)
November 17 - Explore Curriculum Revisions (8-3:30)
November 30 - Master Learner Institute Year 2 (Literacy 8-11; Math 12-3)
December 6 - TenMarks Training (8:00 - 3:30)
December 7 - Master Learner Institute Year 3 (all day Facilitators / ½ day)
Guided Math Connection
We are so excited to be bringing in Graham Fletcher to provide a numeracy workshop on April 3rd! Some of you may be familiar with Graham’s progression videos for numeracy. This workshop is meant to help teachers visualize the progressions for numeracy in addition and subtraction (K-2) and multiplication and division (3-5) as well as fluency in K-5 in order to better differentiate for students when implementing a workshop model.
Graham Fletcher
Tuesday, April 3, 2018
KAC A&B
K-2 (8am - 11:00 am)
3-5 Teachers (12:30pm - 3:30pm)
Please designate two representatives for K-2 and two from 3-5 using this form. We would love administrators to attend, however you will need to fill one of the representative spots if you choose to do so. Teachers will need to use sub code PD 1% 166.
We realize that this is a Tuesday and we try to keep those free to protect staff meetings, but due to his schedule and the issue with getting substitute teachers on Fridays, this was the best option. Our hope is that you can utilize the same subs for your K-2 and 3-5 representatives.
Hour of Code
The Hour of Code is on the way! Join us for Hour of Code the week of December 4th-10th, 2017. Let’s make this a record year for SPS student attendance! Sign up here to sign up your class and have a chance to win an iPad! Click here to learn more about Hour of Code. Your students can access Code.org through their Virtual Library in Canvas!Even more from Learning Support-
Literacy Connection
How can teachers be intentional in their reading instruction? As teachers plan their guided and fluent reading groups, it is important for them to be intentional with their focus. Now that they have formed groups and determined reading levels of students, they have specific skills and strategies they can target at each reading level. The Characteristics of the Reader and the Behaviors of Readers Level A-Z can be utilized as checklists or as a list of teaching points to make their instruction more intentional.
Once teachers feel that groups have mastered the skills for a specific reading level, those students may be ready to move up to the next reading level. Teachers can use Reading A-Z Benchmark Passages and Reading A-Z Benchmark Books to see if students are ready to move to a new set of skills. These resources can help teachers evaluate growth and check to see if the students are on an appropriate reading level.
Lead by Example
Use a staff meeting or a grade level meeting to see have teachers reflect on the Characteristics of the Reader and the Behaviors of Readers Level A-Z. They can use the lists as a checklist to see what they have already taught to each reading group and what areas they need to focus on in each small group.
Author Visits
Throughout the year, we are contacted by authors who are willing to visit your schools. Typically there is a fee involved for the visit. The fee would need to be paid out of building funds. Below is an author that provided us with his information:
Michael Anthony Steele works as a screenwriter and author. He has written more than 110 books for well-known characters and brands such as: Shrek, LEGO City, Batman, Green Lantern, Wishbone, Word Girl, Penguins of Madagascar, Night at the Museum, and many more. He just finished his first Superman book and fourth Hardy Boys novel! He has written for television, home video, advertising, and he is working on a script for his second video game! You can visit http://michaelanthonysteele.com/?page_id=110 to learn more about him and arranging a school visit.