Edgemere Staff Newsletter
October 17-21
Grading Recap
- You will need to enter grades on a consistent basis.
- You DO NOT need to go back and reenter grades or change your grade book for any grades prior to 10/10.
- In grades 3-5, there should be a minimum of 4 checkpoints of 25 points each. These checkpoints are eligible for a redo.
- Unit tests ARE NOT eligible for a re-do.
- You must have other non-graded events entered in the gradebook that offer some type of feedback (written, points, etc) PRIOR to each checkpoint.
- Primary teachers should be entering grades with letters, not points.
- We should be looking at grades through the lens of a Growth Mindset.
Upcoming Events and Deadlines
- Monday, 10/17: SIT Meeting, Data meeting for all other staff; PTA meeting
- Friday, 10/21: MSEA Convention Day. Those not attending the convention should report to work or be engaged in meaningful PD. It may be a good day to start your PD book :). SLOs due to administration.
- Tuesday 10/25: Executive Director visit
What's Happening on the Web
- When your parents ask why we don't teach cursive anymore, you may want to refer them to this article: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2016/10/why_dont_the_common-core_standards_include_cursive_writing.html?cmp=eml-enl-eu-news1-RM
- Want to make Dreambox more useful? Consider assigning lessons. Here is a brief overview: http://hubs.dreambox.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/pd0003-professional-development-best-practices-guide-08-11-2016.pdf
- Follow Kids Deserve It on Twitter @KidsDeserveIt
A Deeper Look into our SPP
MAP Language Arts Data:
- Grade 1: 48% of students are starting the year at or above grade level.
- Grade 2: 78% of students are starting the year at or above grade level. Our greatest area of need remains in the area of Foundational Skills, with 23% of second graders falling within the Low to Low Average range.
- Grade 3: 56% of students are starting the yet at or above grade level.
I-Ready Reading Data:
- Grade 1: 77% of students are performing below grade level.
- Grade 2: 67% of students are performing below grade level.
- Grade 3: 60% of students are performing below grade level.
Key Actions in Action:
- Collecting and Analyzing Data: All teachers have been collecting data on the standards. In our first grade level meetings, we analyzed MAP data and made a plan about instruction based on our findings. In our second grade level, we will be collecting and analyzing data on standards taught in Unit 1. As we look at MAP and I-Ready data, we will be analyzing similarities and differences in scores.
- Using formative and summative assessments to flexibly group: For the next round of grade levels that start in a week, we will be using the formative and summative data from Unit One to look at our yearly plan to determine how we will address standards that were not mastered during the first unit. We will discuss whole group as well as small group lesson opportunities. We will look at I-Ready data and MAP data and will make a plan based on that data in conjunction with daily assessments. We have conducted LLI assessments on all students scoring below grade level and will be creating intervention groups and providing guidance to teachers based on these results.
- Using Structured Phonics Lesson Template: Grades 1 and 2 received PD during the first grade level on the phonics lesson template and on morning message in particular. This month the ELA office will provide direct instruction on phonemic awareness. They will present during grade 2. Representatives from grades K and 1 will attend so they can present to their grade level teams later in the week.
Photo Ops
- Keep collecting photos for American Education week. We will be creating slide shows for each of your classrooms for your parents. You can save them on the iDrive.
- Send us pictures of your students in the Innovation Lab. We will be creating the bulletin board outside of the Innovation Lab.
- Send us pictures of your students engaged in innovative learning activities. We will be updating our Bring The Fun bulletin board by the end of the month.
Volunteer Updates
- As a reminder, please make sure you encourage parents to get their volunteer training and certificate turned into the office at least 2 weeks prior to field trips or other volunteer activities.
- ALL parents working with students must be volunteer trained.
Math on the Devices
I have been monitoring the Dreambox data and I am a little perplexed by the results. Students should be on Dreambox for approximately 60 minutes per week, finishing 6-9 lessons, and making 12% growth every month.
To date, our students are on Dreambox for close to the allotted times, but they are not completing sufficient lessons (generally 3 or less) or making sufficient growth (less than 3%). I believe that students may be using their time playing games and changing avatars, etc. They may also be clicking out of lessons before they are complete, which will force them to restart the lesson. In order to address this issue, please make sure you are monitoring what students are doing on the device.
We have turned off access to the arcade, my house, collections and personalization features on Monday through Thursday. Students can access these features after school and on Fridays.
As a reminder, students should not be on Cool Math Games during rotations. Students can access Cool Math Games during recess or free time activities. Students should be accessing Dreambox or Envision lesson tile activities and resources during daily instruction.
Innovation Lab
Here is a link to some of what we saw:
For more information on the maker-movement, check out this link:
Or this one:
http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3758336
Or check out this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NUjR9l6vyE