Teacher Newsletter K-2
February 2022
Speak Out: We want your feedback!
Our content area specialists are gearing up to create the 22-23 Elementary Learning Network. In order to ensure the design reflects what is most important and useful, we are soliciting your feedback. Please complete this survey to share your opinion on what needs to remain in place and/or be added/removed. We will use your feedback to ensure the ELN is reflective of the needs of our valuable stakeholders, you!
Thank you for your time and attention to providing feedback!
English Language Arts
Module Assessment Answer Sheets: As a reminder, we reduced the number of lines provided for all constructed response and writing prompt questions. Those questions now have only one line available on the Answer Sheet. This would require all written responses to be completed on the physical Module Assessment or a paper that is turned in for grading. It is our hope that this update will decrease the amount of printing needed for each assessment.
Upcoming Module Materials: The Module 6 (Kindergarten) and 8 (Grades 1-2) assessments will be released for printing on February 16th, and the testing window will open on February 18th. Access to testing materials and the test in myProgress will be available through the end of the semester, May 25th. As a reminder, this is not a required assessment, but it is strongly recommended.
Using Module Assessments to Plan: The links for the Module Assessments have been removed on the Elementary Learning Network due to assessment updates completed by HMH. While modifications have been made on their behalf, there is still some work to be completed to ensure the test items are accessible in myProgress and test verbiage is in tight correlation with the ELA B.E.S.T. Standards. This work is in progress, and will be available in the near future. To support schools with planning with the module assessments in mind, the module assessments on the HMH platform may be used as a guide to review the type of questions asked and the standards that will be assessed. These assessments are NOT final and should only be used for planning purposes. The finalized module assessments, with any necessary modifications, will be released by ARM and OLL and made available in myProgress by the print release date listed here. To access the module assessments on the HMH platform, please use these directions.
Reminders:
The optional writing prompt from the grades 1 and 2 module assessments has been replaced with the required Performance Task Writing Prompt. The 12 point scoring rubric will be used to score student responses and report data in myProgress. Please be sure to have your students complete all sections of the Module Assessment (Reading, Grammar, Writing, and Foundational Skills, if applicable).
Once all Module Assessment modifications have been made, the assessments and administering guides can be found in the Formative and Summative folder. Please refrain from printing assessments directly from the HMH Into Reading Platform to use for testing purposes.
DIBELS Progress Monitoring: Your schools have access to DIBELS measures for Progress Monitoring. Directions for entering data can be found here. Contact a member of the ELA Team and/or Larry Porter if you have any questions.
Pasco Students Speak: We are excited about the student showcase coming up in April and student information submitted by March 11th. Please complete the form here to note the point of contact that you would like to receive communication about #PascoStudentsSpeak directly.
HMH Module Overview
Parent and Family Letters
Reading Endorsement
Mathematics
On the B.E.S.T Path
It is not too late to join our Florida B.E.S.T Standards for Mathematics cohorts. Each of these cohorts will participate in three sessions. The dates, times, locations, myPGS course & section #s, and topics that we will focus on for each session can be found below. A recording of Session 1 will be shared in our next newsletter for those interested that were not able to attend. Instructional participants will receive stipend pay and 2 inservice points per session attended. Please be sure to register for each of the sessions separately in myPGS. We look forward to collaborating and learning with all of you as we begin this journey on the B.E.S.T path!
Session 1: Florida B.E.S.T Standards for Mathematics Overview
Session 2: Mathematical Thinking and Reasoning Standards (MTRs) & Fluency with Arithmetic Operations and Automaticity with Basic Arithmetic Facts
Session 3: Florida B.E.S.T Standards Alignment to Eureka Math & Zearn
Science
Pasco County Water Poster Contest
Placeholder for registration info coming from Pasco County on Jan 20th.
Science Academy Evenings
We were so excited to see so many of you at our Science Academy evenings. We appreciate your commitment to supporting our young scientists as they learning to explore, investigate, ask questions and build knowledge about their world. Participants have access to all Academy materials in the Science Academy course in MyLearning. Additionally, everyone can access the materials and recordings of the sessions at the PD Hub on your MyPascoConnect Dashboard. The next Academy is scheduled for March 9th.
Student Facing Courses
K-1
We are thrilled so many of you are utilizing the Kindergarten and first grade courses in MyLearning. These Student-facing Teacher-facilitated courses are a great way to use the 5E Instructional model to explore primary science. Keep the feedback coming as we continue to build and revise this resource. The Q3 content is available in MyLearning Commons. Click on Commons in the left hand navigation bar and search "Lesley Kirkley" to quickly find your Q3 content.
2nd
Remember to access the Studio Board links through your MyLearning SFC. The Teacher Resource page in that SFC serves as a lesson plan with links to any resources you need. This is the best way to plan for using the Studio Boards. Since the Studio Board links on the curriculum maps bypass the SFC Teacher Resources page, we will be removing them. Having the board links on the maps has created confusion. Please use the Teacher Resource page to access the links.
Social Studies
Starting February 1st, we celebrate Black History Month. Teaching children about the historical accomplishments and struggles of African Americans benefits everyone by connecting our students with a rich history and allowing them to hear about individuals and events that forged a nation. In the spirit of honoring African American pioneers and landmark events in black history, engage your students in activities and texts that develop compassion and a better understanding of cultural diversity. You may find suggested instructional ideas using this link.
USF Educational Leadership Program
Admissions are now open for Summer and Fall 2022 cohorts for USF’s Master of Education in Educational Leadership program.
Please see the Program Flyer and FAQs for more information
Elementary Team Contact Information
If you have any questions or need any assistance please do not hesitate to reach out to any of us on the elementary team.
- Elementary Programs: Kim Hedgspeth - kfoster@pasco.k12.fl.us
- ELA K-5: Roshonda Royster - rroyster@pasco.k12.fl.us
- Mathematics PK-6: Tracy Miller – tamiller@pasco.k12.fl.us
- Science K-8: Lesley Kirkley – lwade@pasco.k12.fl.us
- Social Studies K-12: Tina Stavrou-Klem - astavrou@pasco.k12.fl.us
- Art & Music: Tom Viking – tviking@pasco.k12.fl.us
- PE & Health: Matt Wicks – mwicks@pasco.k12.fl.us
- SEL: Deedra Mitchell- dcopelan@pasco.k12.fl.us
- Reading Prof. Dev. & Learning: dvarcard@pasco.k12.fl.us
- K-12 Literacy Intervention: clough@pasco.k12.fl.us
- K-12 Mathematics Intervention: janderto@pasco.k12.fl.us
- Instructional Coaching: jdblair@pasco.k12.fl.us