Bronco Bulletin
FULL STEAM AHEAD
February 12, 2016
MESSAGE FROM ADMINISTRATION
Feb 15 Work Day Schedule
Staff Hours 8am-4pm
7:40 - Chick-fil-A in the faculty lounge
Agenda:
8:00-9:00: 5th UGA Data with Kevin R. - PLC Room
8:00-9:00: K-2 Guided Reading PL with Ms. Eason- Media Center
8:00-9:00: 3rd & SID/PID Safari Training with Ms. Mimms- Café
9:05-10:05: 3rd UGA Data with Kevin R. - PLC Room
9:05-10:05: 4-5 Safari Training with Ms. Mimms- Cafe
9:05-9:50: 2nd IOWA data chats with AP's- L. Blakely's room
10:10-11:10: 4th UGA Data with Kevin R. - PLC Room
10:10-11:10: K-2 Safari Training with Ms. Mimms- Cafe
1:00-2:00: 3-5 GoFAR Training with Ms. Mimms- Café
*Resource teachers need to attend
1:00-4:00 Resource and SLD- STORI- Belcastro's room
9:00-4:00 GAA- SID/PID
Notes:
UGA training- please bring your folders with your ELA and Math papers
All tech training with Ms. Mimms- bring laptops
Staffing Update
Week of February 22nd- Admin will be working on point allotment provided by the county to determine number of teachers in each grade level and all support staff.
Monday, February 29th- Transfer process opens. The "button" goes live this day. I will forward you the email that morning to the staff.
Friday, March 11th- Last date to submit a transfer request. "Button" is taken offline at 5pm.
Monday, May 2nd- Tentative date for contracts to be released.
Friday, May 13th- Deadline to sign contract for 16-17 school year.
The Talent Show was GREAT!!! It's one of my favorite events of the year! Thank you to Ms. Collins and all who helped out! You really made the night very special for the kids and our community!
Thank you to Linda Layson and to everyone who helped out with Valentine Grams this week! This Relay fund-raiser was a huge success! I giggled at a few of the messages! :)
Attention 3rd, 4th, & 5th grade teachers: In your boxes you will find a student engagement survey with instructions and a white envelope. Please find time in your schedule to administer this survey to all of your students before March 7. The instruction sheet with give you a script that you must follow when administering the survey. You will also have a bubble-in scantron/halo sheet for each student to fill in their answers to the questions. When you are finished, please put the survey response sheets in the white envelope and place them in the box on the floor in front of the desk in Jillian's office. Questions, see Jillian. Thank you for your support. We know this will provide us meaningful data from our students.
BREAKFAST ON MONDAY
CALENDAR
February 14...........Valentine's Day
February 15...........President's Day - No School - Teacher Planning/Staff Development Day
February 16...........Debby Creations (Relay for Life)
February 17...........Friends and Family Luncheon 2nd & 5th
February 18...........Atlanta Braves Rep Here
February 19...........Bronco Bulletin Committee Meeting
February 24...........World Real Aloud Day
February 24...........Early Release - 12:15
February 25...........Early Release - 12:15
February 25...........Relay for Life Luncheon
LIFE SAVER AWARD
TALENT SHOW
I could not have managed without the assistance of so many people. Thank you to:
Heather McCargo
Becky Barber
Sara Stephenson
Linda Layson
Linda Davis
Jackie Roberts
Ashley Bettler
Cindy Amick
Tina Cramer
Priscilla Adams
Amy Hough-Simmon
Huette Mabry
Beverly McCallum
Marie Watkins
Sandra Bratescu
Jewel Anderson
Tonya Burnley
Kyle Fields
Lauren Ochs
Laura Lee
Rebecca Lawrence
Susie Brown (and family)
Susan Capps (and family)
Terica Peek
Lisa Healey
Christina Michael
Jordan Myers
Thank you again!
Claire Collins
SECURITY SYSTEM INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY
eCLASS issue
Google Chrome has changed some settings to increase safety and security in their most recent version. This may cause problems viewing some embedded web sites inside of the eCLASS C&I Tool. The other browser companies will be implementing this change in coming months. Google Chrome was just the first.
If you have a problem viewing, change browsers (Firefox, Internet Explorer). If you are building a course page and embedded content does not display properly, you will need to do a link instead.
Please click below if you would like more information on potential solutions.
eCLASS Teacher usage with Students
Top Five Teachers
LAWRENCE, REBECCA
SENA, GREGORY
WALLACE, JENNIFER
MCCARGO, HEATHER
MCDANIEL, ALBERT
PROMOTION GUIDELINES FOR 2015-2016
Grades 3, 5, 8
1. Students who score below required levels on the Georgia Milestones Assessments (GMAS) in reading and/or math and have all A’s, B’s, or C’s in math (5th and 8th), reading (3rd and 5th), or language arts (8th) will be provided district on-line intervention resources. Students will also be provided an opportunity to take the GMAS retest at the end of summer school.
2. Students who score below required levels on the Georgia Milestones Assessments in reading and/or math and have D’s or U’s will be invited to summer school and provided an opportunity to take the GMAS retest.
3. At the end of summer school, if the student passes the retest then the student is promoted. If the student does not pass the retest, the SST will meet to determine promotion.
Grades 4 and 7
1. According to the established GCPS promotion procedures, students who score in the beginning levels on the Georgia Milestones Assessments yet earn A’s, B’s, and C’s will be part of the local school review process and be provided district on-line intervention resources.
2. If a student earns a D or U and scores in the beginning level on GMAS, yet earns a passing score (converted) on GCPS end of year assessments in the identified subject then the student will be part of the local school review process and will be offered district on-line intervention resources.
3. Students who earn D’s and U’s, score in the beginning level on one or more parts of the GMAS, and do not pass GCPS end of year assessments will be offered summer school.
4. After summer school, students will take the GCPS end of year assessment(s). Promotion will be based on the preponderance of evidence of AKS mastery. No single score, assessment, or assignment should be used as the sole criterion in the review process.
5. Students who are not promoted will become transition students in their identified subject areas.
6. Transition points will be allotted to schools and intervention will be provided during the next school year.
PROMOTION RETENTION QUESTIONS
So a student can get D’s and U’s, only gets a beginning level on GMAS yet they pass GCPS EOY assessment, they can pass?
Yes- For 4th Grade, DA’s can be used as part of the promotion/retention conversation. For 3rd and 5th, they are not part of the process.
*Remember, if a student has Ds and Us, they are in the KidTalk/SST process.
When/to what extent will “district online intervention resources” be given in the event that a student scores in beginning levels of GMAS?
Unknown at this time.
Will there be a transition classroom or will students be immersed in the next year’s class?
If a student is transition, he or she will be in a 5th grade homeroom and transition support will be provided by a support teacher.
What if someone makes D’s and U’s but passes the GMAS?
Promoted.
*Remember, if a student has Ds and Us, they are in the KidTalk/SST process.
What is the required level for promotion?
Math- Level 2 or higher
ELA- Next year, reading will be pulled out of ELA as “below, on, or above” grade level. For a student to pass, they have to have a level 2 on ELA and on or above grade level in reading.
Sci and SS (4th only)- Level 2 or higher
Is the GMAS retest required for summer school and online intervention attendees?
State GMAS re-take is only required for 3rd and 5th (for students who came to summer school and who did online). 4th graders will take a county-made retest.
Online intervention- will be offered to students who make As, Bs, and Cs but fail the Milestones.
Why are the DA’s included in grades 4 and 7 but not in grades 3, 5, 8?
4th and 7th grades are a Gwinnett-only requirement. The state of GA sets the promotion guidelines for 3, 5, and 8. Gwinnett County has decided to add DA’s to the decision making process. Cannot add it to 3rd and 5th because that is up to the state.
What will the SST team consider if they have to meet to determine promotion/retention? (#3 under grades 3, 5, 8)
The meeting will include all student data from the current year and all prior. (A preponderance of the evidence.) The classroom teacher will be at the meeting.
For 4th /7th grade, why are students also being evaluated on GCPS end of year assessment along with GMAS for promotion?
If a student passes the 4th grade DA, Gwinnett County is stating this is content mastery. 4th (and 7th) grade is the only grade the county has control over, so they’ve included the DA as another piece of data.
Where, how, when will intervention take place? School? Home?
Summer school will be at Gwin Oaks this year for the cluster. Online intervention will be offered outside of school.
If invited but choose not to go to summer school and invited to retest and choose not to, are they retained?
The student will automatically qualify for retention, but an SST meeting will be held to determine actual status.
Can a transition student be failing or have failed more than one subject?
Transition status is per subject. (4 possible subject areas)
How soon after results of GMAS retest will SST be scheduled?
SSTs will be held during pre-planning. Prior year teacher will attend.
What if they receive one D?
Unknown at this time.
How many spots will there be in summer school?
All students who qualify for summer school will be guaranteed a spot.
RETIREMENT
SCHOLARSHIP
It’s scholarship time at Peach State Federal Credit Union!
For our 2016 Scholarship Program, we are awarding a total of $146,700 in scholarships and educational grants.
Our Career Advancement Scholarships, which honor the founders of Peach State, are a part of this program. Recognizing the importance of education as a lifelong experience, we will award 19 $2,000 Career Advancement Scholarships to eligible members of our credit union. All scholarship winners will be chosen by the end of April 2016 and notified shortly thereafter.
To be considered for the scholarships, all applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements:
Must be a credit union member in good standing
Must currently be enrolled in an accredited program of study at a college, university or technical institute with the goal of career advancement (proof of paid registration documents for current term or class schedule from accredited institution must be included)
Completed applications and supporting documentation must be received by Peach State no later than March 18, 2016. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
BIOMETRIC SCREENINGS
Northeast Atlanta Ballet presents Sleeping Beauty and other fairytales, Friday, March 11th - Sunday, March 13th. Our very own Carol Belcastro will dance as the Queen (mother of Sleeping Beauty). Many other Gwin Oaks students are participating in this fabulous production at the Gwinnett Performing Arts Center (Infinite Energy Center). Please see the following dance moms for tickets!!
Leigh Blakely (Sara)
Tiffany Taylor (Sydney)
Amy Simmon (Scarlett)
Kim Shoaf (Sara)